Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $542 per month in Kano vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Kano vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Kano vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kano is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kano and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kano 60% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ₦4,599

$1.95 ฿62.8

74.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.19 ₦13.8K

$18.43 ฿594

-44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ₦7,136

$7.50 ฿241

-29.47%

Cappuccino

$4.57 ₦6,170

$1.93 ฿62.3

136.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₦593

$0.78 ฿25.08

-43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦524

$0.32 ฿10.42

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ₦1,148

$2.15 ฿69.2

-60.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₦1,191

$3.71 ฿120

-76.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 ₦4,711

$1.71 ฿55.2

104.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 ₦2,609

$1.56 ฿50.3

23.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₦3,036

$1.18 ฿38.06

90.68%

Eggs

$2.07 ₦2,795

$1.98 ฿63.9

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 ₦9,796

$2.63 ฿84.7

176.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,172

$1.17 ฿37.61

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₦1,577

$1.65 ฿53.0

-29.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₦1,577

$1.54 ฿49.51

-24.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,257

$1.38 ฿44.34

74.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ₦4,742

$1.17 ฿37.54

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ₦488

$0.66 ฿21.25

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₦628

$0.51 ฿16.55

-7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₦1,121

$3.18 ฿102

-73.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ₦1,042

$0.90 ฿28.97

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.75 ₦49.6K

$19.00 ฿612

93.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 ₦556

$1.28 ฿41.08

-67.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.3K ฿686.1K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.7K ฿699.3K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$12.16 ₦16.4K

$69.2 ฿2,230

-82.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.97 ฿450

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.32 ₦26.1K

$17.95 ฿578

7.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.42 ₦45.1K

$42.31 ฿1,363

-21.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₦6,263

$5.92 ฿191

-21.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$35.49 ₦47.9K

$299 ฿9,640

-88.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₦642.1K

$435 ฿14.0K

9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₦238.6K

$240 ฿7,727

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₦1.6M

$798 ฿25.7K

47.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₦481.5K

$498 ฿16.1K

-28.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kano: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Kano versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Kano versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $244 – making Kano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kano vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Kano, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $813 per month in Kano and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $35.49 per month in Kano and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $542 in Kano and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kano costs $542 versus $845 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kano. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.