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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $704 in Ho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,184 in Ho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,664 in Ho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Ho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ho 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$8.09 GHS 92.4

-74.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$53.0 GHS 605

-62.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.70 GHS 122

-45.89%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.56 GHS 52.1

-59.87%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.63 GHS 18.60

-52.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.48 GHS 5.52

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.85 GHS 21.11

26.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.28 GHS 26.02

62.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$3.81 GHS 43.51

-46.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.75 GHS 19.94

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.11 GHS 35.57

-54.34%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.75 GHS 31.38

-20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.21 GHS 139

30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.32 GHS 83.6

-58.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.02 GHS 114

-1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.77 GHS 43.07

-30.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.50 GHS 17.13

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.79 GHS 20.44

-8.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.68 GHS 42.02

-58.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.79 GHS 31.85

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.72 GHS 31.02

-58.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.79 GHS 8.99

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.62 GHS 7.10

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.62 GHS 29.97

63.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.42 GHS 84.7

142.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.31 GHS 15.01

29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.39 GHS 27.32

21.34%

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

$1.77 GHS 20.19

-30.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.29 GHS 14.77

-58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$4.53 GHS 51.8

-47.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.36 GHS 15.49

5.88%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$7,948 GHS 90.8K

166.64%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$9,946 GHS 113.6K

174.53%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$75.5 GHS 862

-13.98%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$19.73 GHS 225

-32.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$44.14 GHS 504

-52.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.30 GHS 152

-49.55%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$465 GHS 5,315

69.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$18.3K GHS 208.9K

-17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$14.58 GHS 166

285.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$19.31 GHS 221

29.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$37.50 GHS 428

147.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$53.1 GHS 607

41.42%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

26.75

-79.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ho: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Ho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $286 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Ho, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,056 in Ho. 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 $53.0 in Ho. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ho, where all-in costs run around $704, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Ho 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. Ho costs $704 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 Ho. 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.