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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $679 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,009 in Hargeysa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,339 in Hargeysa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Hargeysa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hargeysa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hargeysa 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.65 SOS 1,506

-26.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$15.02 SOS 8,532

22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.58 SOS 3,169

34.05%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.15 SOS 656

75.65%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.95 SOS 538

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.48 SOS 274

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$10.18 SOS 5,781

-78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$9.80 SOS 5,568

-63.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.34 SOS 760

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.72 SOS 409

118.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.66 SOS 943

-28.31%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.73 SOS 1,548

-28.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$2.02 SOS 1,148

701.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.09 SOS 3,457

-50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.53 SOS 2,570

141.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.41 SOS 1,936

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.03 SOS 1,151

-42.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.70 SOS 1,535

-37.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.84 SOS 479

90.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.03 SOS 582

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.31 SOS 742

-8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.52 SOS 298

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.79 SOS 451

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$0.98 SOS 556

373.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.27 SOS 152

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$30.10 SOS 17.1K

-35.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$3.02 SOS 1,717

-54.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.93 SOS 531

44.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.90 SOS 3,921

18.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.00 SOS 570

22.00%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$112 SOS 63.5K

-36.81%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.48 SOS 4,249

87.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$27.10 SOS 15.4K

-35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$34.36 SOS 19.5K

22.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$9.08 SOS 5,157

-24.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.91 SOS 2,786

20.57%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$37.39 SOS 21.2K

725.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$600 SOS 340.6K

2380.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$22.07 SOS 12.5K

152.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$20.21 SOS 11.5K

29.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$20.29 SOS 11.5K

309.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$30.40 SOS 17.3K

131.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$187 SOS 106.2K

131.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$123 SOS 69.6K

95.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$448 SOS 254.5K

83.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$246 SOS 139.9K

107.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$5,019 SOS 2.9M

-61.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$300 SOS 170.6K

92.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-75.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hargeysa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $187 in Hargeysa. 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 93% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Hargeysa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $150 – making Hargeysa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Hargeysa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,019 in Hargeysa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $37.39 in Hargeysa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $679 in Hargeysa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hargeysa costs $679 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 Hargeysa. 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.