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 $823 per month in Hawassa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Hawassa vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,637 per month in Hawassa vs $1,867 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 38% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 ETB 713

$2.04 ฿68.4

118.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 ETB 5,534

$18.71 ฿626

85.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ETB 1,044

$7.86 ฿263

-16.92%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ETB 205

$2.03 ฿67.9

-36.95%

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

$0.64 ETB 103

$0.80 ฿26.71

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.35 ฿11.71

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ETB 163

$2.14 ฿71.7

-52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ETB 488

$3.67 ฿123

-16.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ETB 223

$1.73 ฿57.8

-19.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 213

$1.57 ฿52.5

-15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 158

$1.20 ฿40.10

-17.50%

Eggs

$1.58 ETB 253

$1.97 ฿66.0

-19.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 ETB 1,119

$16.23 ฿543

-56.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.95 ETB 2,227

$3.06 ฿102

355.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 ETB 2,118

$10.80 ฿361

22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.81 ETB 1,088

$2.77 ฿92.6

145.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.17 ฿39.05

-11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ETB 364

$1.71 ฿57.1

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.59 ฿53.3

-37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.39 ฿46.63

-54.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 306

$1.16 ฿38.67

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ETB 112

$0.66 ฿22.11

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ETB 101

$0.52 ฿17.35

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ETB 620

$4.65 ฿155

-16.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 ETB 871

$17.78 ฿595

-69.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ETB 159

$1.79 ฿59.8

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ETB 307

$3.34 ฿112

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ETB 240

$1.41 ฿47.17

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.71

$1.34 ฿44.82

-79.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ETB 314

$8.11 ฿271

-75.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ETB 208

$1.23 ฿41.27

5.69%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

153.25%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

149.77%

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

$156 ETB 25.0K

$71.3 ฿2,386

119.33%

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

$11.85 ETB 1,892

$14.01 ฿469

-15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$130 ETB 20.7K

$17.93 ฿600

624.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ETB 895

$5.72 ฿191

-1.92%

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

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$308 ฿10.3K

-73.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

177.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 ETB 7,630

$55.8 ฿1,865

-14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

$26.04 ฿871

194.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

$84.8 ฿2,837

9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ETB 18.0K

$71.0 ฿2,375

58.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$501 ETB 80.0K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-65.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 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 $244 – 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 $1,234 per month in Hawassa and $1,279 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 $823 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 $823 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.