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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,245 per month in Windhoek vs $912 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Windhoek vs $1,390 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Windhoek vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Windhoek and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 8% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 NAD 188

$2.06 ฿68.2

464.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 NAD 855

$19.99 ฿662

164.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 NAD 95.4

$5.73 ฿190

2.97%

Cappuccino

$2.33 NAD 37.60

$1.71 ฿56.4

36.26%

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

$0.87 NAD 13.98

$0.73 ฿24.28

19.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.41

$0.30 ฿10.07

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 NAD 29.52

$2.44 ฿80.7

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NAD 32.03

$3.85 ฿127

-48.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 NAD 25.26

$1.94 ฿64.3

-19.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 NAD 15.95

$1.61 ฿53.2

-38.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 NAD 35.09

$1.33 ฿44.10

63.16%

Eggs

$3.16 NAD 51.0

$2.21 ฿73.2

42.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 NAD 158

$15.29 ฿506

-36.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 NAD 111

$2.80 ฿92.7

145.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 NAD 124

$10.77 ฿357

-28.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 NAD 37.54

$2.47 ฿81.6

-6.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.77

$1.09 ฿36.11

80.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.27

$1.56 ฿51.5

23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NAD 36.40

$1.51 ฿49.86

49.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 34.75

$1.26 ฿41.85

70.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 NAD 29.89

$1.06 ฿35.15

74.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NAD 32.40

$0.71 ฿23.55

181.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NAD 19.54

$0.53 ฿17.45

128.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 NAD 53.4

$4.21 ฿139

-21.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 NAD 118

$16.47 ฿545

-55.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NAD 23.23

$1.72 ฿56.8

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.49

$2.85 ฿94.2

-49.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 NAD 12.72

$0.93 ฿30.78

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 NAD 792

$53.6 ฿1,773

-8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.46

$1.19 ฿39.44

-35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NAD 15.71

$0.55 ฿18.08

76.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 NAD 262

$2.47 ฿81.7

556.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 NAD 22.78

$1.49 ฿49.24

-5.37%

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

$24.8K NAD 400.9K

$21.1K ฿698.1K

17.56%

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

$29.4K NAD 474.6K

$27.4K ฿905.4K

7.31%

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

$142 NAD 2,291

$64.5 ฿2,133

119.86%

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

$27.98 NAD 452

$13.08 ฿433

113.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NAD 786

$19.72 ฿653

146.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 NAD 623

$38.94 ฿1,289

-1.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 NAD 172

$3.96 ฿131

168.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 NAD 89.6

$6.81 ฿225

-18.65%

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

$210 NAD 3,402

$795 ฿26.3K

-73.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,465 NAD 88.3K

$14.8K ฿489.0K

-63.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 NAD 926

$56.2 ฿1,860

1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.53 NAD 574

$25.71 ฿851

38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NAD 1,479

$91.6 ฿3,030

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NAD 1,621

$73.0 ฿2,416

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NAD 8,904

$484 ฿16.0K

13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 NAD 6,205

$281 ฿9,291

36.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 NAD 19.2K

$899 ฿29.7K

32.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 NAD 15.9K

$515 ฿17.0K

91.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,616 NAD 26.1K

$2,009 ฿66.5K

-19.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 NAD 9,910

$1,458 ฿48.3K

-57.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.3K

$594 ฿19.7K

69.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.57

105.03%

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

Last update for Windhoek: August 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Windhoek versus $484 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 70% higher in Windhoek, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Windhoek versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Windhoek vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Windhoek 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

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

Windhoek costs about 37% 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 $1,868 per month in Windhoek and $1,368 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.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Windhoek and $795 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Windhoek – 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 $912, than in Windhoek at $1,245. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $912 versus $1,245 in Windhoek. 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, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.