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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $345 in Ho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $562 in Ho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $780 in Ho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Ho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ho 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.94 GHS 32.34

-32.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$9.87 GHS 109

90.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.97 GHS 43.70

95.21%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.48 GHS 16.29

29.73%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.50 GHS 5.50

58.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.30 GHS 3.31

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.47 GHS 5.19

370.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$0.79 GHS 8.73

363.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.15 GHS 12.63

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 GHS 5.60

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.76 GHS 8.41

56.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.38 GHS 26.23

-15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.99 GHS 121

45.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.26 GHS 46.91

-28.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.28 GHS 58.1

105.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.18 GHS 23.97

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.95 GHS 10.46

24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.93 GHS 10.18

76.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.99 GHS 10.94

53.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.99 GHS 21.85

-30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.92 GHS 10.15

29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.28 GHS 3.05

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.50 GHS 5.52

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.57 GHS 17.31

191.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.07 GHS 77.7

134.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.56 GHS 6.17

226.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.16 GHS 12.73

175.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.55 GHS 17.08

-12.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.16 GHS 12.75

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.47 GHS 60.1

43.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.94 GHS 10.39

30.85%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$5,906 GHS 65.0K

266.15%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$7,919 GHS 87.1K

184.70%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$24.51 GHS 270

187.80%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$13.01 GHS 143

5.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$14.55 GHS 160

19.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$9.52 GHS 105

-39.39%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$73.5 GHS 809

317.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,960 GHS 87.6K

83.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$14.77 GHS 162

277.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$18.81 GHS 207

39.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$29.52 GHS 325

190.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$41.79 GHS 460

72.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

-80.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ho: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $10.00 in Ho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $159 – making Ho 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 152% more than Ho, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $517 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $10.00 in Ho. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $345 in Ho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ho costs $345 versus $869 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.