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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,155 per month in Hermanus vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Hermanus vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,421 per month in Hermanus vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hermanus costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hermanus and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hermanus 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.27 R 231

$1.96 ฿63.6

628.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 R 537

$18.39 ฿598

80.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 80.4

$7.87 ฿256

-36.85%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 32.89

$1.95 ฿63.4

4.10%

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

$1.21 R 19.66

$0.85 ฿27.57

42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 13.02

$0.32 ฿10.52

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 37.32

$2.14 ฿69.6

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 41.96

$3.68 ฿120

-29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 18.48

$1.66 ฿53.9

-31.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 16.94

$1.56 ฿50.7

-32.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.35

$1.19 ฿38.63

31.93%

Eggs

$2.49 R 40.35

$1.99 ฿64.7

25.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 R 122

$16.24 ฿528

-53.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 R 72.4

$3.17 ฿103

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 R 107

$10.84 ฿352

-39.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.91

$2.65 ฿86.2

-39.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.56

$1.22 ฿39.67

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.28

$1.65 ฿53.7

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.64

$1.55 ฿50.3

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.35

$1.33 ฿43.17

-0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.79

$1.21 ฿39.43

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.87

$0.68 ฿22.04

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.49

$0.57 ฿18.38

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 R 44.00

$4.68 ฿152

-41.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 R 118

$16.99 ฿552

-57.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R 22.23

$1.82 ฿59.3

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 27.80

$3.18 ฿103

-45.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.02

$0.91 ฿29.46

83.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 17.94

$1.41 ฿45.80

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.47

$1.34 ฿43.52

-28.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 64.6

$8.14 ฿265

-50.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.93

$1.28 ฿41.53

-3.91%

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

$21.5K R 347.4K

$21.8K ฿709.3K

-1.65%

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

$23.7K R 383.4K

$22.4K ฿728.0K

5.74%

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

$128 R 2,072

$70.5 ฿2,291

81.63%

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

$35.26 R 571

$14.05 ฿457

150.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 R 836

$17.65 ฿574

192.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.54 R 284

$41.29 ฿1,342

-57.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.66 R 156

$6.76 ฿220

42.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 R 75.5

$5.96 ฿194

-21.64%

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

$200 R 3,235

$303 ฿9,846

-34.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,378 R 70.9K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-70.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 831

$54.7 ฿1,778

-6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 522

$26.29 ฿854

22.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 R 1,416

$85.8 ฿2,788

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 R 1,304

$69.7 ฿2,265

15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 5,907

$428 ฿13.9K

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 R 6,807

$239 ฿7,769

75.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 R 11.2K

$811 ฿26.4K

-14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 R 14.8K

$510 ฿16.6K

79.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$912 R 14.8K

$2,025 ฿65.8K

-54.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 R 11.7K

$1,502 ฿48.8K

-51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

130.20%

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

Last update for Hermanus: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Hermanus versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Hermanus versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Hermanus vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Hermanus 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

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

Hermanus costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,733 per month in Hermanus and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Hermanus and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Hermanus – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Hermanus at $1,155. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hermanus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,155 in Hermanus. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hermanus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.