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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,124 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,850 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,577 in Windhoek, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Windhoek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Windhoek 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$10.46 NAD 172

-81.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$39.12 NAD 645

-53.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$5.42 NAD 89.4

38.01%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.86 NAD 30.70

8.60%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.91 NAD 14.94

-6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.97 NAD 15.93

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.80 NAD 29.61

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.27 NAD 37.48

58.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.44 NAD 23.71

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.82 NAD 13.52

91.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.65 NAD 27.23

-27.88%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.80 NAD 46.12

-30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.28 NAD 104

157.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$5.38 NAD 88.8

-44.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$6.58 NAD 108

66.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$1.80 NAD 29.72

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.98 NAD 32.58

-40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.62 NAD 26.74

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.74 NAD 28.68

-8.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$2.00 NAD 32.92

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.81 NAD 29.85

-33.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$1.94 NAD 31.94

-65.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$1.14 NAD 18.88

-50.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.72 NAD 44.85

70.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$6.98 NAD 115

152.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.40 NAD 23.03

32.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.84 NAD 30.38

79.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.71 NAD 11.65

23.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$41.09 NAD 678

-52.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$0.74 NAD 12.19

83.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$0.67 NAD 11.03

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$11.73 NAD 193

-30.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.18 NAD 19.47

3.39%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$21.1K NAD 348.7K

0.97%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$24.4K NAD 402.3K

-7.66%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$119 NAD 1,960

-40.54%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$17.50 NAD 289

-19.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$50.1 NAD 827

-65.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$36.62 NAD 604

15.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$13.31 NAD 220

-48.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.23 NAD 86.2

13.19%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$218 NAD 3,595

41.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$5,275 NAD 87.0K

182.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$51.3 NAD 846

8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$26.72 NAD 441

-2.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$86.7 NAD 1,430

-4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$81.2 NAD 1,338

-13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$494 NAD 8,146

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$382 NAD 6,297

-37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$1,291 NAD 21.3K

-36.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$921 NAD 15.2K

-44.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$1,592 NAD 26.2K

20.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$627 NAD 10.3K

134.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$1,009 NAD 16.6K

-42.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

-57.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $494 in Windhoek. 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 74% higher in Windhoek, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Windhoek – so Windhoek 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windhoek costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,686 in Windhoek. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $218 in Windhoek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Windhoek – 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 $861, than in Windhoek at $1,124. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,124 in Windhoek. 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, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.