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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $820 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,289 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,757 in Polokwane, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Polokwane 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.87 R 160

-80.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$42.61 R 692

-56.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.73 R 76.9

65.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.17 R 35.33

-10.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.81 R 13.14

4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.80 R 13.06

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.69 R 27.52

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.02 R 32.78

84.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.19 R 19.34

43.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.95 R 15.51

71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.72 R 27.89

-33.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.47 R 40.13

-21.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.11 R 116

127.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.26 R 52.9

-4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.73 R 93.1

90.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.63 R 26.55

68.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.52 R 24.78

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.52 R 24.76

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.66 R 26.97

-4.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.45 R 23.54

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.23 R 19.97

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.05 R 17.06

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.71 R 11.59

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.62 R 42.66

79.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.76 R 77.3

292.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.07 R 17.41

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.24 R 20.12

160.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$3.19 R 51.9

-71.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.88 R 14.30

60.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.94 R 15.34

37.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.02 R 65.3

95.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.21 R 19.59

4.96%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$13.7K R 223.1K

54.96%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.6K R 366.5K

-1.50%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$119 R 1,928

-41.78%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$39.74 R 646

-64.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.33 R 607

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$22.36 R 363

83.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.09 R 115

-16.50%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$169 R 2,751

76.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,354 R 22.0K

1003.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$33.90 R 551

61.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$33.31 R 541

-19.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.7 R 1,229

12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$79.8 R 1,296

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$249 R 4,041

72.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$176 R 2,864

34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$383 R 6,228

109.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$275 R 4,474

87.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,529 R 24.9K

-59.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

-56.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $249 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 148% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $162 in Polokwane – so Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Polokwane, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,230 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Polokwane. 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $820 in Polokwane, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $820 versus $866 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 Polokwane. 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.