Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,188 in Windhoek, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
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Windhoek Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,188

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Windhoek and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Windhoek and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Windhoek vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek $1,188
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,981 per month in Windhoek vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek $1,981
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,775 per month in Windhoek vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek $2,775
Chiang Mai $1,914

Windhoek costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Windhoek and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 12% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 NAD 188

$2.26 ฿75.4

405.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 NAD 1,045

$19.18 ฿641

230.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 NAD 97.9

$5.59 ฿187

6.26%

Cappuccino

$2.38 NAD 39.25

$1.72 ฿57.6

38.37%

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

$0.84 NAD 13.78

$0.64 ฿21.54

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 NAD 15.00

$0.33 ฿11.18

175.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 NAD 32.05

$2.36 ฿78.7

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 NAD 33.86

$3.90 ฿130

-47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 NAD 25.23

$2.05 ฿68.6

-25.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 NAD 15.64

$1.40 ฿46.70

-32.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NAD 32.85

$1.28 ฿42.89

55.47%

Eggs

$3.06 NAD 50.4

$2.25 ฿75.3

36.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 NAD 155

$16.94 ฿566

-44.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.98 NAD 115

$2.74 ฿91.6

154.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 NAD 127

$9.36 ฿313

-17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 35.50

$2.40 ฿80.3

-10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.65

$1.01 ฿33.92

96.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.78

$1.61 ฿53.9

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 NAD 33.75

$1.52 ฿50.7

34.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 33.54

$1.28 ฿42.90

59.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NAD 30.18

$1.11 ฿37.22

64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NAD 32.48

$0.72 ฿24.09

173.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NAD 17.78

$0.52 ฿17.54

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 NAD 54.0

$4.33 ฿145

-24.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 NAD 107

$17.73 ฿593

-63.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NAD 23.19

$1.63 ฿54.4

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 NAD 23.53

$2.85 ฿95.3

-49.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NAD 13.51

$0.85 ฿28.31

-3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.82 NAD 788

$53.9 ฿1,801

-11.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 NAD 13.32

$1.17 ฿39.18

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 NAD 15.19

$0.57 ฿19.00

61.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.81 NAD 260

$2.37 ฿79.2

567.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 NAD 22.20

$1.45 ฿48.32

-6.90%

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

$23.8K NAD 391.7K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

16.12%

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

$26.7K NAD 440.5K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

0.84%

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

$144 NAD 2,378

$62.3 ฿2,083

131.57%

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

$26.72 NAD 440

$12.27 ฿410

117.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 NAD 843

$19.97 ฿668

156.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.32 NAD 615

$37.91 ฿1,267

-1.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.77 NAD 177

$3.76 ฿126

186.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 NAD 87.2

$6.71 ฿224

-21.16%

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

$207 NAD 3,411

$797 ฿26.6K

-74.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,433 NAD 89.5K

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-63.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 NAD 924

$53.3 ฿1,780

5.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 NAD 583

$25.05 ฿837

41.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 NAD 1,468

$91.6 ฿3,062

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 NAD 1,551

$73.5 ฿2,455

28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 NAD 8,302

$464 ฿15.5K

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 NAD 5,831

$305 ฿10.2K

16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 NAD 18.9K

$915 ฿30.6K

25.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 NAD 14.2K

$552 ฿18.5K

56.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 NAD 26.8K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-15.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$602 NAD 9,920

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-58.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,005 NAD 16.6K

$595 ฿19.9K

68.85%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Windhoek

$354 29.8%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 13.9% $49

Groceries & Markets

Windhoek

$225 18.9%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 5.8% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Windhoek

$222 18.7%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 57.4% $128

Eating Out

Windhoek

$159 13.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 50.2% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Windhoek

$124 10.4%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 11.4% $14

Getting Around

Windhoek

$57 4.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 8.5% $4.8

Sport & Entertainment

Windhoek

$48 4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 7.2% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $504 in Windhoek versus $464 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 69% 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 $63.0 in Windhoek versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Windhoek vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:57 3:57 PM

20:57 8:57 PM

5 h ahead of Windhoek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,500 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Namibian Dollar NAD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 NAD = 6.07 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NAD – Namibian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇦 Namibian Dollar ($)

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 NAD (100 NAD = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.53 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Windhoek Chiang Mai 10,010 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Windhoek
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 27% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,782 per month in Windhoek and $1,408 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 $207 per month in Windhoek and $797 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 6% 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 $938, than in Windhoek at $1,188. 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 $938 versus $1,188 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.