Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Polokwane

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Polokwane: $938 and $959 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Polokwane
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Polokwane Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Polokwane

🇿🇦 South Africa

$959

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Polokwane

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Polokwane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $959 in Polokwane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Polokwane $959

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,417 in Polokwane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Polokwane $1,417

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,875 in Polokwane, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Polokwane $1,875

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Polokwane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Polokwane 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$12.24 R 202

-81.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$29.66 R 489

-35.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.46 R 123

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$2.38 R 39.26

-27.73%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.77 R 12.68

-16.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.88 R 14.47

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.68 R 27.65

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$1.88 R 30.95

107.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.32 R 21.71

55.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.08 R 17.82

29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.70 R 28.03

-24.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.65 R 43.69

-15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.84 R 129

116.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$4.59 R 75.6

-40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$6.04 R 99.6

54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.01 R 33.19

19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.85 R 30.53

-45.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.81 R 29.80

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.96 R 32.30

-22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.67 R 27.49

-23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.50 R 24.73

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.12 R 18.48

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.82 R 13.46

-36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.68 R 44.22

61.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$4.87 R 80.2

264.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.15 R 18.88

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.61 R 26.54

77.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.92 R 15.22

-7.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$30.03 R 495

79.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.87 R 14.41

34.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.95 R 15.66

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$14.36 R 237

-83.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.43 R 23.52

1.40%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$26.1K R 430.1K

-21.57%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$28.5K R 469.0K

-6.86%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$138 R 2,281

-54.98%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$38.10 R 628

-67.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$32.99 R 544

-39.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$23.29 R 384

62.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$8.00 R 132

-16.13%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$179 R 2,946

345.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$1,452 R 23.9K

921.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$45.30 R 746

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$37.73 R 622

-33.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$80.6 R 1,328

13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$93.7 R 1,544

-21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$290 R 4,785

59.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$203 R 3,338

50.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$420 R 6,922

117.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$284 R 4,683

94.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,343 R 22.1K

-55.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.91

-48.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Polokwane

$203 21.1% 33.5% $102

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Polokwane

$185 19.3% 22.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Polokwane

$116 12.1% 5.8% $6.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Polokwane

$210 21.8% 122% $115

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Polokwane

$168 17.5% 112% $89

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Polokwane

$39 4.1% 35.8% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Polokwane

$39 4.1% 23.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Polokwane. 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 126% higher in Polokwane, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Polokwane – so Polokwane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇿🇦 Polokwane

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

19:50 7:50 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

628,999

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Polokwane 8,900 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Polokwane

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polokwane costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,439 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $179 in Polokwane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Polokwane – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Polokwane at $959. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Polokwane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $959 in Polokwane. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Polokwane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.