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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $527 in Winneba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $920 in Winneba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,314 in Winneba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Winneba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Winneba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Winneba 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.32 GHS 50.7

-55.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$47.27 GHS 555

-60.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.95 GHS 93.3

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.43 GHS 40.28

-43.15%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.99 GHS 11.66

-14.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 GHS 4.36

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.50 GHS 17.65

42.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.48 GHS 29.17

50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.42 GHS 40.17

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.51 GHS 17.71

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.47 GHS 29.02

-53.85%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.38 GHS 27.94

-18.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.22 GHS 132

44.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.67 GHS 54.9

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.99 GHS 70.3

81.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.89 GHS 33.92

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.43 GHS 16.82

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.71 GHS 20.09

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.15 GHS 36.97

-49.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$3.08 GHS 36.21

-54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.42 GHS 28.36

-51.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.79 GHS 9.28

-16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.52 GHS 6.07

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.64 GHS 19.23

185.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.92 GHS 81.3

169.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.15 GHS 13.54

56.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.89 GHS 22.23

70.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.62 GHS 18.99

-12.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.16 GHS 13.56

11.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.51 GHS 64.7

42.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.07 GHS 12.56

18.69%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$8,149 GHS 95.7K

161.12%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$9,616 GHS 112.9K

130.98%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$55.2 GHS 648

25.06%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.14 GHS 154

7.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$38.21 GHS 449

-52.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.82 GHS 115

-39.71%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$73.9 GHS 867

304.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,081 GHS 94.9K

85.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$14.59 GHS 171

274.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$18.85 GHS 221

42.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$29.34 GHS 345

189.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$41.06 GHS 482

71.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

-80.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Winneba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Winneba. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Winneba – so Winneba 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 Winneba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Winneba, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $790 in Winneba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $47.00 in Winneba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $527 in Winneba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Winneba costs $527 versus $866 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 Winneba. 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.