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 $1,176 per month in Hermanus vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,807 per month in Hermanus vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,437 per month in Hermanus vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hermanus costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hermanus and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hermanus 14% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.03 R 210

$2.11 ฿69.1

517.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 R 572

$19.75 ฿648

79.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 R 95.9

$5.85 ฿192

1.71%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R 36.65

$1.76 ฿57.8

29.55%

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

$1.11 R 17.93

$0.74 ฿24.37

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R 13.74

$0.33 ฿10.90

157.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.17

$2.47 ฿81.0

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.47

$3.88 ฿127

-27.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.63

$1.90 ฿62.4

-32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.57

$1.67 ฿54.7

-31.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.36

$1.35 ฿44.24

34.81%

Eggs

$2.62 R 42.19

$2.14 ฿70.2

22.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 R 132

$15.89 ฿521

-48.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 R 79.9

$2.83 ฿92.9

75.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 R 119

$10.53 ฿345

-29.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R 31.50

$2.38 ฿78.2

-17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.61

$1.07 ฿35.01

54.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R 27.93

$1.52 ฿49.79

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.64

$1.50 ฿49.30

18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.15

$1.28 ฿41.96

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.54

$1.10 ฿36.17

32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.04

$0.69 ฿22.54

79.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 19.98

$0.49 ฿16.18

153.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 R 52.4

$4.27 ฿140

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 R 111

$16.78 ฿550

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 R 24.03

$1.66 ฿54.4

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 32.27

$2.81 ฿92.3

-28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 R 25.52

$0.90 ฿29.44

75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.47

$1.20 ฿39.24

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.27

$0.54 ฿17.78

64.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 R 150

$2.37 ฿77.9

294.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.57

$1.43 ฿46.88

2.10%

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

$36.1K R 582.0K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

71.42%

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

$32.4K R 521.4K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

19.30%

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

$154 R 2,474

$64.7 ฿2,124

137.30%

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

$35.77 R 576

$13.19 ฿433

171.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.67 R 655

$19.44 ฿638

109.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.88 R 352

$39.45 ฿1,294

-44.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 R 233

$3.77 ฿124

284.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 R 102

$6.62 ฿217

-4.68%

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

$244 R 3,923

$805 ฿26.4K

-69.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,519 R 88.9K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-63.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 R 892

$54.8 ฿1,796

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 R 557

$25.43 ฿834

36.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,672

$91.9 ฿3,015

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 R 1,499

$74.7 ฿2,449

24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 R 6,507

$467 ฿15.3K

-13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 R 6,140

$282 ฿9,251

35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 R 12.1K

$891 ฿29.2K

-15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 R 12.0K

$521 ฿17.1K

42.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$868 R 14.0K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-56.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$654 R 10.5K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-55.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Hermanus: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Hermanus versus $467 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 $35.00 in Hermanus versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Hermanus vs $237 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 28% 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 $1,764 per month in Hermanus and $1,380 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 $35.00 in Hermanus and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% 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 $920, than in Hermanus at $1,176. 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 $920 versus $1,176 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.