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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,412 per month in Niamey vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Niamey vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Niamey vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Niamey costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Niamey sits 3% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 F CFA 3,661

$2.08 ฿69.2

211.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.23 F CFA 22.2K

$19.64 ฿651

99.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 F CFA 5,571

$5.65 ฿188

74.34%

Cappuccino

$3.32 F CFA 1,880

$1.81 ฿59.9

83.43%

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

$1.46 F CFA 825

$0.71 ฿23.66

105.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 F CFA 580

$0.32 ฿10.48

221.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 F CFA 740

$2.24 ฿74.2

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 F CFA 1,738

$3.63 ฿121

-15.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 F CFA 1,387

$1.96 ฿65.0

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 F CFA 306

$1.50 ฿49.83

-64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 F CFA 980

$1.34 ฿44.32

29.10%

Eggs

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

$2.26 ฿75.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 F CFA 3,532

$2.95 ฿98.0

111.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 F CFA 4,417

$9.94 ฿330

-21.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 F CFA 1,970

$2.57 ฿85.3

35.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 F CFA 945

$1.06 ฿35.04

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 F CFA 1,649

$1.61 ฿53.5

80.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 989

$1.52 ฿50.4

15.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 F CFA 853

$1.27 ฿42.14

18.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 F CFA 413

$1.07 ฿35.37

-31.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 F CFA 487

$0.72 ฿23.89

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 614

$0.51 ฿16.87

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

$4.19 ฿139

-36.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.35 F CFA 8,116

$17.87 ฿593

-19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 F CFA 822

$1.69 ฿56.2

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 F CFA 2,026

$2.84 ฿94.1

26.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 F CFA 191

$0.93 ฿30.70

-63.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 F CFA 239

$1.23 ฿40.95

-65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 F CFA 190

$0.58 ฿19.13

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 F CFA 4,930

$2.42 ฿80.4

260.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 F CFA 582

$1.41 ฿46.84

-26.95%

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

$21.0K F CFA 11.9M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

-2.26%

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

$25.1K F CFA 14.2M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-8.35%

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

$179 F CFA 101.2K

$63.7 ฿2,112

181.01%

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

$17.64 F CFA 9,982

$12.85 ฿426

37.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.3 F CFA 50.5K

$20.22 ฿671

341.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.2 F CFA 43.1K

$38.74 ฿1,285

96.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 F CFA 3,089

$6.74 ฿223

-18.99%

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

$1,051 F CFA 594.3K

$778 ฿25.8K

35.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,481 F CFA 2.5M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-69.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 F CFA 40.3K

$54.3 ฿1,801

31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.4 F CFA 49.4K

$25.45 ฿844

243.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.9 F CFA 29.9K

$94.3 ฿3,129

-43.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 F CFA 39.8K

$73.4 ฿2,436

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 F CFA 552.3K

$490 ฿16.2K

99.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 F CFA 295.3K

$289 ฿9,596

80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 F CFA 472.8K

$894 ฿29.6K

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 F CFA 249.0K

$517 ฿17.1K

-14.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 F CFA 991.5K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-10.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$982 F CFA 555.6K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-33.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 F CFA 225.2K

$602 ฿20.0K

-33.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

61.58%

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

Last update for Niamey: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $976 in Niamey versus $490 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 51% 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 $39.00 in Niamey versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Niamey vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Niamey 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

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

Niamey costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,118 per month in Niamey and $1,421 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Niamey and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Niamey – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Niamey at $1,412. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Niamey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,412 in Niamey. 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, Niamey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.