Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Serowe

For one person, living is cheaper in Serowe: $80.5 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Serowe

🇧🇼 Botswana

$80.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Serowe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $81 in Serowe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Serowe $81

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $141 in Serowe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Serowe $141

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $201 in Serowe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Serowe $201

Chiang Mai costs about 1062% more than Serowe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Serowe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Serowe 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.41 P 19.01

38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.06 P 14.27

35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.73 P 23.27

31.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$4.07 P 54.9

128.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.31 P 17.70

79.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.03 P 13.85

-5.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.63 P 22.02

-7.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$1.49 P 20.01

-14.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.39 P 18.68

-20.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.71 P 9.62

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$108 P 1,449

584.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$1,716 P 23.1K

760.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Serowe: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Serowe

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Serowe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Serowe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Serowe

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Serowe

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Serowe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Serowe

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇼 Serowe

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

07:48 7:48 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

47,447

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 BWP = 7.42 USD

100 BWP = 6.62 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 13.47 BWP (100 BWP = 7.42 USD). 1 EUR = 15.1 BWP (100 BWP = 6.62 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Serowe 9,090 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Serowe

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1062% more than Serowe, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $121 in Serowe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $81 in Serowe. That makes Serowe about 91% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 191% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Serowe, where all-in costs run around $81, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Serowe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $81 in Serowe to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.