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 $822 per month in Hawassa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,638 per month in Hawassa vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hawassa is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 39% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ETB 689

$1.96 ฿64.0

125.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ETB 5,484

$18.81 ฿615

86.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ETB 1,029

$7.92 ฿259

-16.92%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ETB 193

$1.91 ฿62.6

-35.60%

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

$0.64 ETB 100

$0.84 ฿27.41

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.5

$0.35 ฿11.51

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 160

$2.21 ฿72.1

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 464

$3.80 ฿124

-21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 218

$1.64 ฿53.5

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ETB 209

$1.62 ฿53.1

-17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 161

$1.18 ฿38.62

-12.71%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 251

$2.01 ฿65.8

-20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 ETB 1,127

$15.89 ฿520

-54.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 ETB 2,175

$3.01 ฿98.5

362.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 ETB 2,075

$10.77 ฿352

23.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 ETB 1,057

$2.61 ฿85.5

159.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 152

$1.22 ฿39.88

-20.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 338

$1.70 ฿55.7

27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 ETB 141

$1.58 ฿51.5

-43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ETB 105

$1.32 ฿43.14

-49.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 299

$1.17 ฿38.23

63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 107

$0.67 ฿21.98

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 98.1

$0.56 ฿18.32

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 629

$4.53 ฿148

-11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 ETB 900

$18.20 ฿595

-68.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 156

$1.83 ฿60.0

-45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ETB 288

$3.23 ฿106

-43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ETB 233

$1.35 ฿44.20

10.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.05

$1.35 ฿44.05

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 320

$8.25 ฿270

-75.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 194

$1.27 ฿41.64

-2.36%

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

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

160.53%

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

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

135.73%

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

$158 ETB 24.7K

$70.2 ฿2,294

125.29%

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

$11.98 ETB 1,872

$13.77 ฿450

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ETB 20.5K

$17.60 ฿575

644.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ETB 866

$5.78 ฿189

-4.15%

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

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

-73.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

175.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 ETB 7,470

$54.4 ฿1,778

-12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

$26.14 ฿855

186.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

$84.5 ฿2,764

9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.2K

$69.4 ฿2,270

67.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$503 ETB 78.5K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-67.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Hawassa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $243 – 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 4% 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 $1,232 per month in Hawassa and $1,278 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 $35.00 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 6% 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 $822 in Hawassa and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hawassa costs $822 versus $852 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.