Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Windhoek

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,182 in Windhoek, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
Learn more

Windhoek Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,182

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,182 in Windhoek, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Windhoek $1,182

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,028 in Windhoek, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Windhoek $2,028

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,875 in Windhoek, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Windhoek $2,875

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Windhoek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Windhoek 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$11.47 NAD 192

-80.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$64.4 NAD 1,076

-70.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.05 NAD 101

-8.26%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.28 NAD 38.09

-26.75%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.86 NAD 14.42

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.92 NAD 15.42

-66.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.92 NAD 32.14

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.09 NAD 34.88

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.57 NAD 26.30

24.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.88 NAD 14.73

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.96 NAD 32.68

-32.14%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.14 NAD 52.4

-27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$9.44 NAD 158

74.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$6.87 NAD 115

-59.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$7.66 NAD 128

21.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.14 NAD 35.80

9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.98 NAD 33.06

-51.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.79 NAD 29.88

-10.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.99 NAD 33.19

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.94 NAD 32.39

-34.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.80 NAD 30.01

-38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.96 NAD 32.78

-63.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.07 NAD 17.81

-54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.35 NAD 56.0

23.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.48 NAD 108

170.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.43 NAD 23.91

12.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.38 NAD 23.13

101.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.80 NAD 13.30

8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$48.86 NAD 816

10.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.75 NAD 12.58

54.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.94 NAD 15.73

-43.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$15.38 NAD 257

-84.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.40 NAD 23.37

3.57%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$24.6K NAD 410.2K

-14.24%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$31.7K NAD 529.2K

-14.94%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$138 NAD 2,313

-55.10%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$26.65 NAD 445

-54.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$49.49 NAD 827

-59.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$36.77 NAD 614

1.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$10.40 NAD 174

-63.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.29 NAD 88.3

22.68%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$210 NAD 3,516

249.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$5,340 NAD 89.2K

176.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$54.2 NAD 905

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$34.80 NAD 581

-29.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$88.4 NAD 1,476

3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$94.4 NAD 1,578

-23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$502 NAD 8,384

-3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$358 NAD 5,986

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,456 NAD 24.3K

-30.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$974 NAD 16.3K

-35.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,617 NAD 27.0K

46.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$608 NAD 10.2K

161.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$997 NAD 16.7K

-40.85%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Windhoek

$358 30.3% 16% $49

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Windhoek

$223 18.9% 4.7% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Windhoek

$122 10.4% 12.6% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Windhoek

$215 18.2% 127% $120

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Windhoek

$158 13.4% 104% $81

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Windhoek

$58 4.9% 6.3% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Windhoek

$47 4% 5.8% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $502 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 69% higher in Windhoek. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $64 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Windhoek – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🕒 Local time

16:33 4:33 PM

11:33 11:33 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

322,500 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 NAD = 5.99 USD

100 NAD = 5.36 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 16.71 NAD (100 NAD = 5.99 USD). 1 EUR = 18.64 NAD (100 NAD = 5.36 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Windhoek 10,010 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Windhoek

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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windhoek costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,772 in Windhoek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $502 in Windhoek. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $210 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.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,182 in Windhoek. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,182 in Windhoek. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.