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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $345 per month in Ho vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $562 per month in Ho vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $780 per month in Ho vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ho is about 60% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ho and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ho 74% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 GHS 32.34

$1.98 ฿64.3

48.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.87 GHS 109

$18.80 ฿612

-47.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 GHS 43.70

$7.75 ฿252

-48.77%

Cappuccino

$1.48 GHS 16.29

$1.92 ฿62.5

-22.92%

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

$0.50 GHS 5.50

$0.79 ฿25.79

-36.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 GHS 3.31

$0.36 ฿11.62

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.47 GHS 5.19

$2.21 ฿72.1

-78.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 GHS 8.73

$3.66 ฿119

-78.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 GHS 12.63

$1.65 ฿53.8

-30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 GHS 5.60

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 GHS 8.41

$1.19 ฿38.86

-36.13%

Eggs

$2.38 GHS 26.23

$2.00 ฿65.1

19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 GHS 121

$15.98 ฿520

-31.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 GHS 46.91

$3.03 ฿98.5

40.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 GHS 58.1

$10.86 ฿354

-51.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 GHS 23.97

$2.76 ฿90.0

-21.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 GHS 10.46

$1.18 ฿38.42

-19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 GHS 10.18

$1.64 ฿53.5

-43.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 GHS 10.94

$1.52 ฿49.51

-34.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 GHS 21.85

$1.38 ฿45.10

44.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 GHS 10.15

$1.19 ฿38.84

-22.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 GHS 3.05

$0.70 ฿22.86

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 GHS 5.52

$0.56 ฿18.13

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 GHS 17.31

$4.58 ฿149

-65.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 GHS 77.7

$16.56 ฿539

-57.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 GHS 6.17

$1.83 ฿59.5

-69.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 GHS 12.73

$3.20 ฿104

-63.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 GHS 17.08

$1.36 ฿44.16

13.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 GHS 12.75

$1.34 ฿43.65

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 GHS 60.1

$7.84 ฿256

-30.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 GHS 10.39

$1.23 ฿39.92

-23.58%

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

$5,906 GHS 65.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-72.69%

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

$7,919 GHS 87.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-64.87%

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

$24.51 GHS 270

$70.5 ฿2,298

-65.25%

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

$13.01 GHS 143

$13.68 ฿445

-4.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.55 GHS 160

$17.45 ฿568

-16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 GHS 105

$5.77 ฿188

64.99%

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

$73.5 GHS 809

$307 ฿10.0K

-76.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,960 GHS 87.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-45.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.77 GHS 162

$55.8 ฿1,817

-73.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 GHS 207

$26.21 ฿854

-28.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.52 GHS 325

$85.8 ฿2,793

-65.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.79 GHS 460

$72.2 ฿2,353

-42.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

408.00%

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

Last update for Ho: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ho versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $241 – making Ho 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Ho, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $517 per month in Ho and $1,303 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 $10.00 in Ho and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $345 in Ho and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ho costs $345 versus $869 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 Ho. 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.