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 $1,238 per month in Windhoek vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,074 per month in Windhoek vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,910 per month in Windhoek vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Windhoek and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 NAD 188

$2.08 ฿69.4

457.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 NAD 1,014

$19.64 ฿654

219.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 NAD 103

$5.65 ฿188

12.92%

Cappuccino

$2.45 NAD 39.62

$1.81 ฿60.1

35.36%

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

$0.89 NAD 14.34

$0.71 ฿23.75

25.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 NAD 15.08

$0.32 ฿10.52

190.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 NAD 31.64

$2.24 ฿74.5

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NAD 36.93

$3.63 ฿121

-37.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NAD 26.59

$1.96 ฿65.2

-16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 NAD 14.59

$1.50 ฿50.0

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 NAD 33.91

$1.34 ฿44.49

56.72%

Eggs

$3.12 NAD 50.5

$2.26 ฿75.4

38.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 NAD 161

$16.26 ฿541

-38.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 NAD 107

$2.95 ฿98.4

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 NAD 122

$9.94 ฿331

-24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NAD 36.75

$2.57 ฿85.7

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 NAD 32.30

$1.06 ฿35.18

88.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 NAD 30.49

$1.61 ฿53.7

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NAD 36.37

$1.52 ฿50.6

48.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 NAD 35.80

$1.27 ฿42.30

74.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 NAD 29.35

$1.07 ฿35.51

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 NAD 33.78

$0.72 ฿23.98

190.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NAD 18.55

$0.51 ฿16.94

125.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 NAD 54.0

$4.19 ฿140

-20.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 NAD 112

$17.87 ฿595

-61.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NAD 23.59

$1.69 ฿56.4

-13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.50

$2.84 ฿94.5

-48.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 NAD 12.63

$0.93 ฿30.82

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.94 NAD 807

$53.9 ฿1,794

-7.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 NAD 13.63

$1.23 ฿41.11

-31.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 NAD 15.42

$0.58 ฿19.20

63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 NAD 260

$2.42 ฿80.7

565.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 NAD 22.92

$1.41 ฿47.03

0.71%

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

$24.5K NAD 395.4K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

14.04%

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

$30.3K NAD 489.7K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

10.82%

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

$142 NAD 2,294

$63.7 ฿2,120

122.88%

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

$28.74 NAD 465

$12.85 ฿428

123.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.03 NAD 793

$20.22 ฿673

142.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.49 NAD 606

$38.74 ฿1,290

-3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.77 NAD 174

$3.97 ฿132

171.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.50 NAD 88.9

$6.74 ฿224

-18.40%

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

$213 NAD 3,445

$778 ฿25.9K

-72.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,564 NAD 90.0K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-61.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NAD 924

$54.3 ฿1,808

5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.02 NAD 582

$25.45 ฿847

41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 NAD 1,481

$94.3 ฿3,141

-2.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NAD 1,629

$73.4 ฿2,446

37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 NAD 8,657

$490 ฿16.3K

9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 NAD 6,275

$289 ฿9,634

34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 NAD 19.1K

$894 ฿29.8K

32.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 NAD 16.1K

$517 ฿17.2K

93.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,637 NAD 26.5K

$1,955 ฿65.1K

-16.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$615 NAD 9,943

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-58.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 NAD 16.6K

$602 ฿20.0K

70.88%

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 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in Windhoek versus $490 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 71% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Windhoek vs $240 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 31% 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 $1,857 per month in Windhoek and $1,421 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 $213 per month in Windhoek and $778 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 4% 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 $947, than in Windhoek at $1,238. 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 $947 versus $1,238 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.