Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.71

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $0.71 per month in Onitsha vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Onitsha $0.71
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1.25 per month in Onitsha vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Onitsha $1.25
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1.78 per month in Onitsha vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Onitsha $1.78
Chiang Mai $1,979

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Onitsha and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Onitsha 100% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₦240

$0.87 ฿29.29

-79.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Onitsha

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:22 4:22 AM

10:22 10:22 AM

6 h ahead of Onitsha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,080,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.63 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,507 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.63 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Onitsha Chiang Mai 10,020 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Onitsha
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 131675% more than Onitsha, 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 $1.07 per month in Onitsha and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $0.71 in Onitsha to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.