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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $820 per month in Polokwane vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Polokwane vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Polokwane vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Polokwane is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Polokwane and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 R 160

$1.94 ฿63.5

408.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.61 R 692

$18.64 ฿609

128.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 R 76.9

$7.82 ฿255

-39.51%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.33

$1.95 ฿63.8

11.28%

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

$0.81 R 13.14

$0.85 ฿27.77

-4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 13.06

$0.35 ฿11.58

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 R 27.52

$2.13 ฿69.6

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.78

$3.73 ฿122

-45.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.34

$1.71 ฿56.0

-30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.51

$1.63 ฿53.2

-41.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.89

$1.14 ฿37.15

50.88%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.13

$1.93 ฿63.1

27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 R 116

$16.21 ฿530

-56.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 R 52.9

$3.12 ฿102

4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.73 R 93.1

$10.90 ฿356

-47.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

-40.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.78

$1.21 ฿39.52

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.76

$1.62 ฿53.0

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.97

$1.59 ฿51.8

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.54

$1.40 ฿45.70

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 19.97

$1.17 ฿38.17

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.06

$0.66 ฿21.60

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.59

$0.53 ฿17.22

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.66

$4.69 ฿153

-44.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.76 R 77.3

$18.66 ฿609

-74.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 R 17.41

$1.80 ฿58.8

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 20.12

$3.23 ฿106

-61.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.19 R 51.9

$0.90 ฿29.26

254.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 R 14.30

$1.41 ฿45.91

-37.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.34

$1.29 ฿42.12

-27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 R 65.3

$7.84 ฿256

-48.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.59

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$13.7K R 223.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-35.47%

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

$22.6K R 366.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

1.53%

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

$119 R 1,928

$69.1 ฿2,256

71.77%

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

$39.74 R 646

$14.08 ฿460

182.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.33 R 607

$18.00 ฿588

107.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.36 R 363

$41.06 ฿1,341

-45.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 R 115

$5.92 ฿193

19.76%

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

$169 R 2,751

$299 ฿9,766

-43.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,354 R 22.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-90.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.90 R 551

$54.7 ฿1,787

-38.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.31 R 541

$26.77 ฿874

24.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 R 1,229

$85.0 ฿2,776

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 R 1,296

$70.6 ฿2,306

12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 R 4,041

$428 ฿14.0K

-41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 R 2,864

$237 ฿7,752

-25.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,228

$801 ฿26.2K

-52.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 R 4,474

$515 ฿16.8K

-46.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,529 R 24.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

147.71%

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 Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Polokwane 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.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Polokwane versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $162 in Polokwane vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Polokwane 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Polokwane, 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 $1,230 per month in Polokwane and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $43.00 in Polokwane 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $820 in Polokwane and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $820 versus $866 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 Polokwane. 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.