Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Walvis Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Walvis Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $782 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $705 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $627 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Walvis Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Walvis Bay are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Walvis Bay 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$0.84 NAD 13.92

163.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.53 NAD 25.33

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.81 NAD 13.47

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.66 NAD 27.45

-28.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.62 NAD 26.84

24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$9.09 NAD 150

74.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$5.53 NAD 91.5

-45.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$6.82 NAD 113

57.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.06 NAD 34.02

26.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.83 NAD 30.21

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.57 NAD 26.04

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$2.28 NAD 37.76

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.72 NAD 45.10

-56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.65 NAD 27.23

-59.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$1.83 NAD 30.35

894.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.79 NAD 13.04

70.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

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

$13.77 ฿448

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$68.0 NAD 1,125

-74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$38.71 NAD 641

7.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

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

$306 ฿9,953

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$61.5 NAD 1,018

-11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$459 NAD 7,600

-48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Walvis Bay: April 26, 2026

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 Walvis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Walvis Bay, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,173 in Walvis Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $782 in Walvis Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $782 in Walvis Bay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Walvis Bay costs $782 versus $852 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 Walvis Bay. 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.