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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $685 in Winneba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,156 in Winneba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,627 in Winneba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Winneba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Winneba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Winneba 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$8.00 GHS 91.3

-73.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$52.4 GHS 599

-62.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.81 GHS 123

-46.44%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.72 GHS 53.9

-61.23%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.64 GHS 18.71

-52.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.48 GHS 5.53

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.87 GHS 21.30

25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.33 GHS 26.58

58.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$3.82 GHS 43.63

-46.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.79 GHS 20.41

-10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$3.30 GHS 37.66

-56.97%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.76 GHS 31.52

-21.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$12.24 GHS 140

29.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.59 GHS 86.7

-59.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$9.99 GHS 114

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.81 GHS 43.55

-30.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.45 GHS 16.52

-24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.80 GHS 20.53

-9.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.83 GHS 43.76

-60.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.70 GHS 30.85

-54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.85 GHS 32.56

-60.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.73 GHS 8.28

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.62 GHS 7.07

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.62 GHS 29.97

63.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.40 GHS 84.6

142.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.28 GHS 14.57

32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.40 GHS 27.41

20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.83 GHS 20.88

-32.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.35 GHS 15.46

-60.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$4.40 GHS 50.2

-45.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.33 GHS 15.22

8.27%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$7,851 GHS 89.7K

169.95%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$9,940 GHS 113.5K

174.71%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$73.7 GHS 842

-11.89%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$20.24 GHS 231

-34.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$43.59 GHS 498

-52.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.26 GHS 151

-49.40%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$460 GHS 5,250

71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$18.6K GHS 212.4K

-18.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$14.66 GHS 167

283.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$19.19 GHS 219

30.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$36.79 GHS 420

152.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$53.0 GHS 606

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

26.75

-79.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Winneba: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Winneba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $289 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39% more than Winneba, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,028 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $52.0 in Winneba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Winneba, where all-in costs run around $685, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Winneba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Winneba costs $685 versus $950 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.