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 $776 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $694 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $611 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$0.84 NAD 13.91

154.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.48 NAD 24.46

16.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.86 NAD 14.23

82.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.70 NAD 28.05

-29.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.68 NAD 27.79

17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.38 NAD 155

73.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.50 NAD 90.9

-44.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.64 NAD 110

62.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.02 NAD 33.47

37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.86 NAD 30.84

-37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.53 NAD 25.38

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.20 NAD 36.44

-36.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.78 NAD 45.97

-58.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.69 NAD 27.95

-60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$1.82 NAD 30.17

876.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.79 NAD 13.03

69.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

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

$14.01 ฿467

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$66.7 NAD 1,104

-73.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$39.47 NAD 653

3.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$60.5 NAD 1,000

-7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$466 NAD 7,715

-48.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Walvis Bay: July 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 10% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,164 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 $776 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 $776 in Walvis Bay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Walvis Bay costs $776 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.