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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $822 per month in Hawassa vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Hawassa vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,582 per month in Hawassa vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hawassa is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hawassa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hawassa 40% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 ETB 640

$2.10 ฿69.3

89.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.30 ETB 6,961

$19.84 ฿656

118.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ETB 1,065

$5.79 ฿191

14.51%

Cappuccino

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.83 ฿60.4

-50.82%

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

$0.58 ETB 93.5

$0.78 ฿25.61

-25.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 102

$0.31 ฿10.37

106.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 131

$2.34 ฿77.2

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ETB 358

$3.70 ฿122

-39.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 178

$2.03 ฿67.1

-45.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$1.60 ฿52.7

-24.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 158

$1.42 ฿46.75

-30.99%

Eggs

$1.60 ETB 258

$2.18 ฿71.9

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ETB 1,154

$15.91 ฿526

-54.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ETB 1,634

$3.07 ฿102

231.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ETB 1,468

$9.87 ฿326

-7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 ETB 877

$2.63 ฿86.8

107.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.10 ฿36.19

-41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ETB 361

$1.63 ฿53.8

37.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

$1.53 ฿50.6

-56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.7

$1.24 ฿41.13

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.13 ฿37.37

-3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$0.74 ฿24.38

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 98.7

$0.50 ฿16.48

22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 ETB 1,321

$4.28 ฿141

92.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 ETB 881

$17.97 ฿594

-69.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$1.70 ฿56.1

-57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$2.90 ฿95.7

-56.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ETB 210

$1.23 ฿40.76

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.85

$0.53 ฿17.66

-49.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 330

$2.40 ฿79.3

-14.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ETB 155

$1.44 ฿47.55

-33.33%

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

$54.2K ETB 8.7M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

155.72%

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

$54.5K ETB 8.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

99.61%

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

$207 ETB 33.3K

$64.9 ฿2,145

218.62%

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

$7.44 ETB 1,196

$13.35 ฿441

-44.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$216 ETB 34.8K

$20.83 ฿688

938.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$3.67 ETB 590

$6.71 ฿222

-45.31%

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

$135 ETB 21.8K

$787 ฿26.0K

-82.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K ETB 4.8M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

95.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.27 ETB 5,349

$56.2 ฿1,858

-40.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 ETB 11.2K

$24.95 ฿824

179.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 ETB 12.5K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 ETB 13.1K

$75.1 ฿2,482

8.39%

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)

$491 ETB 79.0K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-66.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.57

232.14%

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

Last update for Hawassa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Hawassa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Hawassa vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Hawassa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% 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 $1,426 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 $43.00 in Hawassa and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Hawassa 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. Hawassa costs $822 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 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.