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 $725 per month in Yaounde vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Yaounde vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,665 per month in Yaounde vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yaounde is about 16% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Yaounde and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 46% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

$1.94 ฿63.5

151.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

$18.64 ฿609

136.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

$7.82 ฿255

-25.83%

Cappuccino

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

$1.95 ฿63.8

32.82%

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

$1.48 FCFA 834

$0.85 ฿27.77

74.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 391

$0.35 ฿11.58

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 661

$2.13 ฿69.6

-45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 970

$3.73 ฿122

-53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

$1.71 ฿56.0

65.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 FCFA 558

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 624

$1.14 ฿37.15

-2.63%

Eggs

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

$1.93 ฿63.1

-5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

$16.21 ฿530

-13.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

$3.12 ฿102

102.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

$10.90 ฿356

-45.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

$2.75 ฿90.0

68.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

$1.21 ฿39.52

73.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

$1.62 ฿53.0

27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 FCFA 672

$1.59 ฿51.8

-25.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 FCFA 906

$1.40 ฿45.70

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 FCFA 822

$1.17 ฿38.17

24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 324

$0.66 ฿21.60

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 FCFA 562

$0.53 ฿17.22

88.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 978

$4.69 ฿153

-63.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

$18.66 ฿609

-52.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 695

$1.80 ฿58.8

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 FCFA 906

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 337

$0.90 ฿29.26

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

$19.21 ฿628

-7.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FCFA 365

$1.41 ฿45.91

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$1.29 ฿42.12

-70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

$7.84 ฿256

-28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FCFA 761

$1.27 ฿41.58

6.30%

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

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

55.72%

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

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-27.25%

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

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

$69.1 ฿2,256

14.85%

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

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

$14.08 ฿460

52.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

$18.00 ฿588

159.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-36.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

$6.96 ฿227

4.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

$5.92 ฿193

10.47%

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

$346 FCFA 195.2K

$299 ฿9,766

15.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-87.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

$54.7 ฿1,787

-69.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

$26.77 ฿874

-10.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-76.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 FCFA 86.2K

$428 ฿14.0K

-64.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 FCFA 66.5K

$237 ฿7,752

-50.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 FCFA 283.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 FCFA 144.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-50.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 FCFA 500.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-55.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 FCFA 353.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-57.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 FCFA 106.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

-69.37%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $153 in Yaounde 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.

Salaries run about 226% 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 $44.00 in Yaounde versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Yaounde vs $246 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 19% 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 $1,088 per month in Yaounde 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 Yaounde, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Yaounde and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $725 in Yaounde and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaounde costs $725 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 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.