Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nyamata and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Nyamata: $569 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Nyamata
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Nyamata Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Nyamata

🇷🇼 Rwanda

$569

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nyamata 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 Nyamata and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $569 per month in Nyamata vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nyamata $569
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $899 per month in Nyamata vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nyamata $899
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,229 per month in Nyamata vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nyamata $1,229
Chiang Mai $1,914

Nyamata is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nyamata and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nyamata 58% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 RWF 4,048

$2.26 ฿75.4

21.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.79 RWF 17.3K

$19.18 ฿641

-38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 RWF 9,779

$5.59 ฿187

18.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 RWF 2,510

$1.72 ฿57.6

-0.58%

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

$0.71 RWF 1,039

$0.64 ฿21.54

10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 RWF 560

$0.33 ฿11.18

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 RWF 1,528

$2.36 ฿78.7

-55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RWF 2,509

$3.90 ฿130

-56.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 RWF 1,200

$2.05 ฿68.6

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 RWF 1,145

$1.40 ฿46.70

-44.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 RWF 1,878

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$1.61 RWF 2,367

$2.25 ฿75.3

-28.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.55 RWF 5,224

$16.94 ฿566

-79.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 RWF 3,927

$2.74 ฿91.6

-2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.12 RWF 6,055

$9.36 ฿313

-55.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 RWF 3,629

$2.40 ฿80.3

2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.40 RWF 587

$1.01 ฿33.92

-60.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 RWF 1,032

$1.61 ฿53.9

-56.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 RWF 820

$1.52 ฿50.7

-63.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 RWF 718

$1.28 ฿42.90

-61.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RWF 1,128

$1.11 ฿37.22

-30.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 RWF 521

$0.72 ฿24.09

-51.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RWF 1,044

$0.52 ฿17.54

36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.33 RWF 1,958

$4.33 ฿145

-69.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 RWF 15.2K

$17.73 ฿593

-41.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RWF 1,512

$1.63 ฿54.4

-36.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 RWF 2,326

$2.85 ฿95.3

-44.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.74 RWF 45.2K

$53.9 ฿1,801

-42.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 RWF 3,886

$1.17 ฿39.18

125.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 RWF 2,945

$0.57 ฿19.00

250.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 RWF 4,616

$2.37 ฿79.2

32.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 RWF 1,810

$1.45 ฿48.32

-15.17%

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

$26.4K RWF 38.8M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

29.02%

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

$23.8K RWF 35.0M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

-10.12%

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

$85.3 RWF 125.4K

$62.3 ฿2,083

36.87%

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

$7.19 RWF 10.6K

$12.27 ฿410

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 RWF 25.2K

$19.97 ฿668

-14.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 RWF 150.6K

$37.91 ฿1,267

170.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$1.99 RWF 2,930

$6.71 ฿224

-70.34%

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

$114 RWF 167.3K

$797 ฿26.6K

-85.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,358 RWF 13.8M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-36.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.24 RWF 25.3K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-67.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.65 RWF 23.0K

$25.05 ฿837

-37.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.03 RWF 32.4K

$91.6 ฿3,062

-75.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.32 RWF 50.5K

$73.5 ฿2,455

-53.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100.0 RWF 147.0K

$464 ฿15.5K

-78.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.9 RWF 99.8K

$305 ฿10.2K

-77.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 RWF 503.9K

$915 ฿30.6K

-62.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 RWF 353.5K

$552 ฿18.5K

-56.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 RWF 264.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

-69.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

5.57

190.84%

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

Last update for Nyamata: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Nyamata

$126 22.2%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 88.7% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nyamata

$110 19.3%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 13.7% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Nyamata

$106 18.7%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 51.7% $55

Eating Out

Nyamata

$75 13.3%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 4.7% $3.6

Accommodation & Living

Nyamata

$68 11.9%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 349% $237

Getting Around

Nyamata

$43 * 7.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 41.3% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Nyamata

$40 7.1%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 173% $69

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100.0 in Nyamata versus $464 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 230% 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 $12.00 in Nyamata versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $238 – making Nyamata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇼 Nyamata

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

08:20 8:20 AM

5 h ahead of Nyamata

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,509

127,240

💱 Currency

Rwandan Franc RWF Fr

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 RWF = 6.8 USD

10,000 RWF = 6.05 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RWF – Rwandan Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇼 Rwandan Franc (Fr)

Rwandan Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,470 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.8 USD). 1 EUR = 1,653 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.05 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to RWF in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nyamata Chiang Mai 7,870 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nyamata
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Nyamata, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $853 per month in Nyamata and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $114 per month in Nyamata and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nyamata, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Nyamata 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. Nyamata costs $569 versus $938 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 Nyamata. 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.