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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $793 per month in Hawassa vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Hawassa vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,650 per month in Hawassa vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hawassa is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 41% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ETB 705

$1.98 ฿64.3

124.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.62 ETB 5,645

$18.80 ฿612

89.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,051

$7.75 ฿252

-14.45%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.92 ฿62.5

-34.90%

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

$0.63 ETB 99.5

$0.79 ฿25.79

-20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.9

$0.36 ฿11.62

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 162

$2.21 ฿72.1

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ETB 474

$3.66 ฿119

-18.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ETB 230

$1.65 ฿53.8

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ETB 205

$1.63 ฿53.2

-20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ETB 162

$1.19 ฿38.86

-14.29%

Eggs

$1.53 ETB 243

$2.00 ฿65.1

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ETB 1,108

$15.98 ฿520

-56.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 ETB 2,196

$3.03 ฿98.5

357.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 ETB 2,086

$10.86 ฿354

21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 ETB 1,076

$2.76 ฿90.0

146.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 153

$1.18 ฿38.42

-17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 343

$1.64 ฿53.5

31.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$1.52 ฿49.51

-35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.38 ฿45.10

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 288

$1.19 ฿38.84

52.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 111

$0.70 ฿22.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.56 ฿18.13

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ETB 648

$4.58 ฿149

-10.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ETB 881

$16.56 ฿539

-66.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.83 ฿59.5

-45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ETB 303

$3.20 ฿104

-40.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 227

$1.36 ฿44.16

5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.44

$1.34 ฿43.65

-78.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 309

$7.84 ฿256

-75.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ETB 196

$1.23 ฿39.92

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

$54.8K ETB 8.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

153.61%

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

$54.4K ETB 8.6M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

141.29%

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

$161 ETB 25.6K

$70.5 ฿2,298

128.93%

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

$11.88 ETB 1,882

$13.68 ฿445

-13.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.4K

$17.45 ฿568

636.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ETB 917

$5.77 ฿188

0.17%

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

$80.9 ETB 12.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

-73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K ETB 6.4M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

176.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 ETB 7,556

$55.8 ฿1,817

-14.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ETB 12.0K

$26.21 ฿854

187.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 ETB 14.7K

$85.8 ฿2,793

8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$72.2 ฿2,353

60.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 ETB 79.3K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-66.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

240.00%

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

Last update for Hawassa: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Hawassa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $241 – 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

Hawassa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Hawassa, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Hawassa and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Hawassa and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $793 in Hawassa and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hawassa costs $793 versus $869 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 Hawassa. 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.