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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Yaounde vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,190 per month in Yaounde vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,644 per month in Yaounde vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yaounde is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Yaounde and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 45% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

$1.96 ฿65.8

149.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

$18.35 ฿617

143.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

$7.48 ฿252

-24.47%

Cappuccino

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$2.02 ฿67.8

35.15%

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

$1.43 FCFA 819

$0.85 ฿28.50

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 379

$0.36 ฿11.96

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 FCFA 664

$2.14 ฿71.8

-45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

$3.59 ฿121

-51.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

$1.65 ฿55.5

73.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 FCFA 583

$1.57 ฿52.7

-35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 635

$1.19 ฿40.02

-6.72%

Eggs

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

$1.94 ฿65.1

-7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

$16.19 ฿544

-12.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

$2.99 ฿101

104.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

$10.94 ฿368

-46.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

$2.71 ฿91.2

70.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

$1.17 ฿39.25

77.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

$1.69 ฿56.7

21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 FCFA 711

$1.60 ฿54.0

-22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 958

$1.38 ฿46.54

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 832

$1.20 ฿40.45

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 328

$0.67 ฿22.50

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 FCFA 578

$0.56 ฿18.73

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 FCFA 987

$4.64 ฿156

-62.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

$17.62 ฿593

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 FCFA 734

$1.86 ฿62.5

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FCFA 891

$3.30 ฿111

-53.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 FCFA 349

$0.88 ฿29.68

-30.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

$19.34 ฿650

-10.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 346

$1.36 ฿45.90

-55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 240

$1.34 ฿44.98

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

$8.21 ฿276

-29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FCFA 772

$1.22 ฿41.18

9.84%

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

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

57.44%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-30.70%

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

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

$70.7 ฿2,376

11.18%

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

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

$14.04 ฿472

50.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

$17.49 ฿588

171.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

$42.15 ฿1,417

-36.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

$6.88 ฿231

4.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

$5.92 ฿199

12.50%

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

$335 FCFA 192.4K

$309 ฿10.4K

8.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-87.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

$55.8 ฿1,875

-70.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

$26.11 ฿878

-7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-76.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 FCFA 85.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

-65.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 FCFA 69.4K

$239 ฿8,035

-49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 FCFA 285.7K

$822 ฿27.7K

-39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 FCFA 144.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

-50.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 FCFA 497.3K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-54.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 FCFA 352.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-58.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 FCFA 105.9K

$579 ฿19.5K

-68.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Yaounde versus $432 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 214% 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 $45.00 in Yaounde versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Yaounde vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Yaounde 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Yaounde, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Yaounde and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $335 per month in Yaounde and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $736 in Yaounde and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaounde costs $736 versus $861 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 Yaounde. 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.