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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Lome vs $872 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Lome vs $1,337 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,012 per month in Lome vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lome costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lome and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lome 24% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 F CFA 1,219

$2.01 ฿64.5

8.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 F CFA 17.8K

$18.23 ฿584

74.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 F CFA 2,876

$7.65 ฿245

-32.68%

Cappuccino

$5.90 F CFA 3,291

$1.92 ฿61.5

207.29%

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

$3.38 F CFA 1,888

$0.84 ฿26.97

302.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 F CFA 621

$0.36 ฿11.42

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 F CFA 472

$2.19 ฿70.2

-61.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 F CFA 955

$3.79 ฿121

-54.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 F CFA 1,353

$1.64 ฿52.5

47.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 F CFA 706

$1.62 ฿52.0

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,031

$1.15 ฿36.98

60.87%

Eggs

$2.06 F CFA 1,148

$1.94 ฿62.2

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 F CFA 7,859

$15.94 ฿511

-11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 F CFA 4,746

$3.10 ฿99.5

174.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 F CFA 4,974

$11.07 ฿355

-19.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 F CFA 1,471

$2.71 ฿86.8

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 F CFA 842

$1.18 ฿37.80

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 F CFA 1,504

$1.71 ฿54.7

57.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 F CFA 1,358

$1.61 ฿51.5

50.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,007

$1.39 ฿44.66

29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 975

$1.15 ฿36.81

52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 289

$0.71 ฿22.83

-26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 479

$0.55 ฿17.65

56.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 F CFA 773

$4.57 ฿146

-69.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 F CFA 2,699

$18.87 ฿605

-74.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 F CFA 760

$1.82 ฿58.4

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 F CFA 839

$3.21 ฿103

-53.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 F CFA 190

$0.88 ฿28.24

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.2 F CFA 29.1K

$18.89 ฿606

176.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 F CFA 1,172

$1.41 ฿45.30

48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 F CFA 415

$1.30 ฿41.71

-43.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 F CFA 2,941

$8.20 ฿263

-35.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 666

$1.23 ฿39.29

-3.25%

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

$14.1K F CFA 7.9M

$21.2K ฿678.9K

-33.20%

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

$25.6K F CFA 14.3M

$22.3K ฿715.3K

14.80%

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

$172 F CFA 96.0K

$69.9 ฿2,240

146.13%

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

$22.30 F CFA 12.4K

$14.07 ฿451

58.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.33 F CFA 24.2K

$17.70 ฿567

144.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.05 F CFA 27.4K

$41.41 ฿1,328

18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 F CFA 5,069

$6.69 ฿215

35.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 F CFA 2,404

$5.74 ฿184

-24.91%

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

$178 F CFA 99.5K

$299 ฿9,593

-40.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,148 F CFA 2.9M

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-65.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.52 F CFA 13.7K

$54.8 ฿1,758

-55.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.17 F CFA 15.2K

$26.35 ฿845

3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.81 F CFA 22.8K

$84.7 ฿2,714

-51.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 F CFA 52.6K

$69.7 ฿2,236

35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 F CFA 199.9K

$427 ฿13.7K

-16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 F CFA 123.2K

$241 ฿7,718

-8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 F CFA 426.4K

$811 ฿26.0K

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 F CFA 167.7K

$498 ฿16.0K

-39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 F CFA 147.4K

$639 ฿20.5K

-58.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Lome: April 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Lome versus $427 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 142% 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 $32 in Lome versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Lome costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,542 per month in Lome and $1,308 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $178 per month in Lome 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 2% more in Lome, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,028 in Lome and $872 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,028 in Lome. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.