Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Libreville and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,500 in Libreville, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

72

Cost of Living Index in Libreville
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Libreville Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Libreville

🇬🇦 Gabon

$1,500

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Libreville and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Libreville and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,500 per month in Libreville vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Libreville $1,500
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,441 per month in Libreville vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Libreville $2,441
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $3,382 per month in Libreville vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Libreville $3,382
Chiang Mai $1,979

Libreville costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Libreville sits 10% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.95 FCFA 9,984

$2.24 ฿75.7

656.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 FCFA 39.9K

$19.00 ฿642

256.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.19 FCFA 8,945

$5.55 ฿188

173.69%

Cappuccino

$5.93 FCFA 3,492

$1.67 ฿56.6

255.09%

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

$1.71 FCFA 1,009

$0.64 ฿21.56

167.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 FCFA 854

$0.31 ฿10.32

367.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 FCFA 586

$2.36 ฿79.6

-57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 FCFA 1,109

$3.66 ฿124

-48.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.45 FCFA 2,033

$1.95 ฿65.8

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 FCFA 721

$1.44 ฿48.51

-15.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 FCFA 1,727

$1.33 ฿45.07

120.30%

Eggs

$4.22 FCFA 2,485

$2.28 ฿77.1

85.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 FCFA 5,993

$16.45 ฿556

-38.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 FCFA 4,965

$2.78 ฿94.0

203.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.97 FCFA 15.3K

$9.31 ฿314

178.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 FCFA 1,778

$2.35 ฿79.5

28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.76 FCFA 2,212

$0.97 ฿32.82

287.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 FCFA 2,194

$1.60 ฿53.9

133.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 FCFA 1,968

$1.50 ฿50.7

122.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 FCFA 1,799

$1.28 ฿43.15

138.28%

Onion (1kg)

$4.38 FCFA 2,580

$1.10 ฿37.22

298.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 FCFA 1,223

$0.71 ฿23.84

192.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 FCFA 928

$0.49 ฿16.38

222.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 FCFA 1,491

$4.14 ฿140

-38.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 FCFA 6,735

$17.52 ฿592

-34.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 FCFA 560

$1.61 ฿54.5

-40.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 FCFA 771

$2.78 ฿94.0

-52.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 FCFA 208

$0.87 ฿29.33

-59.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.44 FCFA 20.3K

$54.1 ฿1,827

-36.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 FCFA 740

$1.16 ฿39.08

8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 FCFA 452

$0.53 ฿17.82

45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.84 FCFA 9,917

$2.42 ฿81.8

595.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 FCFA 611

$1.45 ฿48.93

-28.28%

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

$29.4K FCFA 17.3M

$21.1K ฿711.2K

39.61%

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

$21.8K FCFA 12.8M

$26.9K ฿909.8K

-19.26%

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

$84.6 FCFA 49.8K

$62.2 ฿2,100

36.03%

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

$33.55 FCFA 19.8K

$12.17 ฿411

175.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 FCFA 37.6K

$20.12 ฿680

217.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 FCFA 37.9K

$37.31 ฿1,260

72.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.75 FCFA 15.2K

$3.77 ฿127

583.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 FCFA 2,629

$6.49 ฿219

-31.28%

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

$173 FCFA 101.8K

$736 ฿24.9K

-76.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,638 FCFA 3.3M

$14.8K ฿498.6K

-61.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 FCFA 49.5K

$53.4 ฿1,802

57.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 FCFA 25.5K

$24.64 ฿832

75.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.0 FCFA 30.6K

$91.5 ฿3,089

-43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 FCFA 61.2K

$71.9 ฿2,429

44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 FCFA 605.6K

$482 ฿16.3K

113.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 FCFA 254.2K

$309 ฿10.4K

39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 FCFA 1.2M

$1,006 ฿34.0K

103.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 FCFA 497.2K

$633 ฿21.4K

33.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,602 FCFA 2.1M

$2,363 ฿79.8K

52.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,761 FCFA 1.6M

$1,589 ฿53.7K

73.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 FCFA 245.8K

$590 ฿19.9K

-29.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.57

106.46%

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

Last update for Libreville: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Libreville

$432 28.8%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 28.4% $123

Groceries & Markets

Libreville

$371 24.7%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 36.8% $136

Eating Out

Libreville

$274 18.3%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 71.7% $196

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Libreville

$182 12.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 48.1% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Libreville

$127 8.5%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 14.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Libreville

$73 4.9%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 31.4% $23

Getting Around

Libreville

$41 2.7%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 49.8% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Libreville versus $482 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.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Libreville versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $234 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇦 Libreville

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

13:07 1:07 PM

19:07 7:07 PM

6 h ahead of Libreville

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

850,000 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 655 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Libreville Chiang Mai 9,940 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Libreville
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Libreville costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,250 per month in Libreville and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,028 in Libreville.

Kindergarten costs $173 per month in Libreville and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Libreville, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,500 in Libreville and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,500 in Libreville. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.