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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Kumasi vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $717 per month in Kumasi vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,006 per month in Kumasi vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kumasi is about 51% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kumasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kumasi 68% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 GHS 30.63

$1.98 ฿64.3

40.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 GHS 355

$18.80 ฿612

71.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 GHS 85.2

$7.75 ฿252

Cappuccino

$0.82 GHS 9.07

$1.92 ฿62.5

-57.29%

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

$0.55 GHS 6.09

$0.79 ฿25.79

-30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 GHS 2.30

$0.36 ฿11.62

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 GHS 9.09

$2.21 ฿72.1

-62.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 GHS 17.52

$3.66 ฿119

-56.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 GHS 19.56

$1.65 ฿53.8

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 GHS 16.38

$1.63 ฿53.2

-8.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 GHS 18.28

$1.19 ฿38.86

39.50%

Eggs

$2.18 GHS 24.02

$2.00 ฿65.1

9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 GHS 63.2

$15.98 ฿520

-64.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 GHS 49.04

$3.03 ฿98.5

47.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 GHS 54.7

$10.86 ฿354

-54.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 GHS 18.39

$2.76 ฿90.0

-39.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 GHS 8.58

$1.18 ฿38.42

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 GHS 8.60

$1.64 ฿53.5

-52.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 GHS 21.82

$1.52 ฿49.51

30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 18.55

$1.38 ฿45.10

22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 GHS 12.51

$1.19 ฿38.84

-4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 GHS 8.35

$0.70 ฿22.86

8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 5.68

$0.56 ฿18.13

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.78 GHS 8.58

$4.58 ฿149

-82.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.24 GHS 13.60

$16.56 ฿539

-92.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 12.29

$1.83 ฿59.5

-38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 GHS 20.50

$3.20 ฿104

-41.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 GHS 4.28

$0.88 ฿28.56

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 GHS 218

$18.72 ฿610

6.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 GHS 9.27

$1.36 ฿44.16

-38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 12.90

$1.34 ฿43.65

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 GHS 17.61

$7.84 ฿256

-79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 GHS 12.12

$1.23 ฿39.92

-10.57%

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

$7,965 GHS 87.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-63.17%

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

$9,648 GHS 106.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-57.21%

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

$40.78 GHS 449

$70.5 ฿2,298

-42.19%

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

$13.14 GHS 145

$13.68 ฿445

-3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 GHS 408

$17.45 ฿568

112.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.70 GHS 316

$41.33 ฿1,346

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 GHS 104

$5.77 ฿188

64.12%

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

$72.0 GHS 792

$307 ฿10.0K

-76.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,500 GHS 60.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-62.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.78 GHS 163

$55.8 ฿1,817

-73.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.51 GHS 204

$26.21 ฿854

-29.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.41 GHS 324

$85.8 ฿2,793

-65.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.83 GHS 460

$72.2 ฿2,353

-42.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 GHS 3,445

$619 ฿20.2K

-49.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

408.00%

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

Last update for Kumasi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 98% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kumasi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in Kumasi vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kumasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Kumasi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $643 per month in Kumasi and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $72.0 per month in Kumasi and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $429 in Kumasi and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kumasi costs $429 versus $869 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 Kumasi. 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.