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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $829 per month in Yaounde vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Yaounde vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,690 per month in Yaounde vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yaounde is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Yaounde and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 40% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$2.08 ฿68.6

73.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$19.64 ฿646

173.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$5.65 ฿186

-7.08%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$1.81 ฿59.4

12.71%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$0.71 ฿23.45

115.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$0.32 ฿10.38

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$2.24 ฿73.6

-44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$3.63 ฿119

-51.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.96 ฿64.4

93.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$1.50 ฿49.39

-26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$1.34 ฿43.93

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$2.26 ฿74.5

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$16.26 ฿535

-12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$2.95 ฿97.1

104.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$9.94 ฿327

-31.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$2.57 ฿84.6

104.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$1.06 ฿34.73

99.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$1.61 ฿53.0

34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$1.52 ฿49.97

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$1.27 ฿41.77

33.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$1.07 ฿35.06

34.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$0.72 ฿23.68

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$0.51 ฿16.72

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$4.19 ฿138

-58.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$17.87 ฿587

-49.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$1.69 ฿55.7

-15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$2.84 ฿93.3

-28.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$0.93 ฿30.43

-35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$53.9 ฿1,771

-66.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$1.23 ฿40.59

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$0.58 ฿18.96

-25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$2.42 ฿79.7

157.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.41 ฿46.43

4.96%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

56.70%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-18.47%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$63.7 ฿2,093

28.99%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$12.85 ฿423

40.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$20.22 ฿665

161.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$38.74 ฿1,274

-37.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$3.97 ฿130

84.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$6.74 ฿222

28.49%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$778 ฿25.6K

-17.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-83.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$54.3 ฿1,785

-67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$25.45 ฿837

10.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-71.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$73.4 ฿2,415

-21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$490 ฿16.1K

-70.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$289 ฿9,512

-34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

-54.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$517 ฿17.0K

-58.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-54.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-57.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

$602 ฿19.8K

-68.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

133.39%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Yaounde 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 213% 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 $54.0 in Yaounde versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 14% 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 $1,243 per month in Yaounde 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 Yaounde, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $642 per month in Yaounde and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Yaounde 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. Yaounde costs $829 versus $947 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.