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 $512 per month in Kumasi vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Kumasi vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Kumasi vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kumasi is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kumasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kumasi 63% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 GHS 40.73

$2.08 ฿69.5

70.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 GHS 406

$19.61 ฿655

80.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 GHS 123

$5.67 ฿189

89.42%

Cappuccino

$1.09 GHS 12.56

$1.81 ฿60.3

-39.78%

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

$0.73 GHS 8.43

$0.77 ฿25.65

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 GHS 3.13

$0.35 ฿11.53

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 GHS 11.39

$2.21 ฿73.9

-55.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 GHS 20.40

$3.79 ฿127

-53.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 GHS 21.78

$2.05 ฿68.4

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 GHS 19.53

$1.51 ฿50.6

12.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 GHS 19.69

$1.40 ฿46.69

22.86%

Eggs

$2.44 GHS 27.96

$2.26 ฿75.4

7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 GHS 67.2

$16.19 ฿540

-63.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 GHS 51.5

$2.90 ฿96.7

54.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.00 GHS 57.4

$9.42 ฿314

-46.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.62

$2.68 ฿89.4

-36.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 GHS 10.38

$1.09 ฿36.37

-17.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 GHS 9.62

$1.62 ฿54.0

-48.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 GHS 25.33

$1.46 ฿48.74

51.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 19.43

$1.28 ฿42.65

32.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 GHS 15.48

$1.06 ฿35.31

27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 GHS 8.82

$0.72 ฿23.94

6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GHS 6.98

$0.53 ฿17.56

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.85 GHS 9.79

$4.23 ฿141

-79.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.28 GHS 14.70

$18.29 ฿611

-93.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 GHS 14.70

$1.63 ฿54.4

-21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 GHS 26.84

$2.90 ฿96.8

-19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 GHS 6.11

$0.88 ฿29.32

-39.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.67 GHS 237

$53.8 ฿1,795

-61.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 GHS 9.67

$1.17 ฿39.14

-28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 GHS 15.33

$0.58 ฿19.30

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 GHS 20.22

$2.39 ฿79.6

-26.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 GHS 12.78

$1.45 ฿48.41

-23.45%

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

$8,149 GHS 93.6K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-61.22%

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

$9,811 GHS 112.6K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-62.87%

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

$43.15 GHS 495

$63.7 ฿2,125

-32.21%

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

$19.77 GHS 227

$12.89 ฿430

53.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.20 GHS 496

$20.52 ฿685

110.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.53 GHS 351

$39.02 ฿1,302

-21.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 GHS 149

$6.58 ฿220

97.72%

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

$458 GHS 5,257

$784 ฿26.2K

-41.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,431 GHS 62.3K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-62.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.62 GHS 168

$55.1 ฿1,840

-73.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 GHS 221

$24.74 ฿826

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.89 GHS 424

$94.1 ฿3,142

-60.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 GHS 620

$74.0 ฿2,469

-26.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 GHS 4,825

$602 ฿20.1K

-30.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

5.57

380.25%

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

Last update for Kumasi: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 43% 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 $35.00 in Kumasi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 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 82% 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 $768 per month in Kumasi and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $458 per month in Kumasi and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kumasi, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kumasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kumasi costs $512 versus $932 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.