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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $822 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,202 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,582 in Hawassa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.98 ETB 640

-47.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$43.30 ETB 6,961

-54.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.63 ETB 1,065

-12.67%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.90 ETB 144

103.33%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.58 ETB 93.5

34.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.64 ETB 102

-51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$0.81 ETB 131

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.23 ETB 358

65.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.11 ETB 178

82.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.21 ETB 194

32.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.98 ETB 158

44.90%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.60 ETB 258

36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.18 ETB 1,154

121.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$10.17 ETB 1,634

-69.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.13 ETB 1,468

8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$5.46 ETB 877

-51.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.64 ETB 103

71.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.24 ETB 361

-27.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.66 ETB 106

131.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.50 ETB 80.7

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.09 ETB 175

3.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.69 ETB 111

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.61 ETB 98.7

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$8.22 ETB 1,321

-47.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.48 ETB 881

227.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$0.72 ETB 116

136.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.27 ETB 204

128.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.31 ETB 210

-6.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.27 ETB 42.85

96.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.05 ETB 330

17.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.96 ETB 155

50.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

-60.89%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$54.5K ETB 8.8M

-49.90%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$207 ETB 33.3K

-68.61%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$7.44 ETB 1,196

79.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$216 ETB 34.8K

-90.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.67 ETB 590

82.83%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$135 ETB 21.8K

481.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$29.6K ETB 4.8M

-48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$33.27 ETB 5,349

69.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$69.8 ETB 11.2K

-64.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$77.5 ETB 12.5K

19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$81.4 ETB 13.1K

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$491 ETB 79.0K

195.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.5

-69.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Hawassa. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Hawassa – so Hawassa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Hawassa, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,232 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Hawassa 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. Hawassa costs $822 versus $950 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 Hawassa. 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.