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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,206 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,057 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,907 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 32% lower, Windhoek 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$11.61 NAD 190

-82.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$62.1 NAD 1,017

-68.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.11 NAD 100

-7.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.43 NAD 39.71

-25.51%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.89 NAD 14.62

-13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.94 NAD 15.37

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.05 NAD 33.51

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.28 NAD 37.38

66.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.64 NAD 26.93

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.90 NAD 14.79

67.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.18 NAD 35.66

-35.78%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.11 NAD 50.8

-27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.62 NAD 158

68.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.83 NAD 112

-57.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.52 NAD 123

25.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.24 NAD 36.68

19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.95 NAD 32.00

-44.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.93 NAD 31.59

-16.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.19 NAD 35.85

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.18 NAD 35.76

-41.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.80 NAD 29.41

-41.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.97 NAD 32.27

-63.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.15 NAD 18.80

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.41 NAD 55.8

24.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.13 NAD 117

156.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.45 NAD 23.74

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.47 NAD 24.06

97.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.83 NAD 13.65

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$48.44 NAD 793

11.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.84 NAD 13.73

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.90 NAD 14.81

-35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$15.77 NAD 258

-84.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.38 NAD 22.64

5.07%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$24.4K NAD 399.8K

-13.94%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$30.1K NAD 493.0K

-12.23%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$141 NAD 2,310

-54.88%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$28.22 NAD 462

-54.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$48.44 NAD 793

-57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$38.41 NAD 629

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$10.56 NAD 173

-62.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.60 NAD 91.6

17.50%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$211 NAD 3,457

271.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,403 NAD 88.5K

171.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$57.1 NAD 936

-3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$35.44 NAD 580

-30.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$91.5 NAD 1,499

2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$101 NAD 1,652

-26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$545 NAD 8,917

-9.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$385 NAD 6,302

-25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,181 NAD 19.3K

-24.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$963 NAD 15.8K

-45.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,623 NAD 26.6K

21.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$619 NAD 10.1K

133.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,023 NAD 16.8K

-41.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.42

-51.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $545 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 70% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $230 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 29% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,810 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $211 in Windhoek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $932, than in Windhoek at $1,206. 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 $932 versus $1,206 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.