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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Malabo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Malabo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Malabo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malabo is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malabo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malabo 55% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

$18.64 ฿609

272.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

$7.82 ฿255

10.74%

Cappuccino

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

$1.95 ฿63.8

171.79%

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

$0.89 FCFA 505

$0.85 ฿27.77

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 510

$0.35 ฿11.58

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

$1.71 ฿56.0

63.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

Eggs

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

$1.93 ฿63.1

121.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

$16.21 ฿530

-57.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

$3.12 ฿102

118.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

$10.90 ฿356

-34.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 525

$0.66 ฿21.60

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 693

$0.53 ฿17.22

132.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

$4.69 ฿153

-1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.80 ฿58.8

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 FCFA 753

$0.90 ฿29.26

47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

$19.21 ฿628

38.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$1.41 ฿45.91

-35.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 452

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

$7.84 ฿256

14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

55.11%

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

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

31.70%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

$14.08 ฿460

23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

$18.00 ฿588

-3.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

$6.96 ฿227

113.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

$5.92 ฿193

-6.08%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-50.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$132 FCFA 74.2K

$26.77 ฿874

391.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

27.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 FCFA 150.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 FCFA 69.4K

$237 ฿7,752

-48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 FCFA 539.2K

$801 ฿26.2K

19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 FCFA 294.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

1.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$847 FCFA 477.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-57.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 FCFA 357.8K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-56.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

36.00%

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

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Malabo versus $428 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 $69.0 in Malabo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Malabo 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Malabo, 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 $907 per month in Malabo and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 38% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 $605 in Malabo and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malabo costs $605 versus $866 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 Malabo. 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.