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 $1,108 per month in Windhoek vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,797 per month in Windhoek vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Windhoek vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Windhoek costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Windhoek and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Windhoek 17% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.55 NAD 172

$1.94 ฿63.5

443.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.77 NAD 630

$18.64 ฿609

107.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 NAD 87.0

$7.82 ฿255

-31.59%

Cappuccino

$1.94 NAD 31.53

$1.95 ฿63.8

-0.51%

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

$0.96 NAD 15.57

$0.85 ฿27.77

12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.37

$0.35 ฿11.58

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 NAD 30.25

$2.13 ฿69.6

-12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NAD 37.01

$3.73 ฿122

-38.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 NAD 23.51

$1.71 ฿56.0

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 NAD 13.94

$1.63 ฿53.2

-47.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 NAD 27.04

$1.14 ฿37.15

45.61%

Eggs

$2.80 NAD 45.47

$1.93 ฿63.1

45.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 NAD 101

$16.21 ฿530

-61.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 NAD 86.6

$3.12 ฿102

70.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 NAD 110

$10.90 ฿356

-37.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NAD 30.16

$2.75 ฿90.0

-32.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NAD 30.84

$1.21 ฿39.52

57.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 NAD 27.87

$1.62 ฿53.0

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 NAD 28.70

$1.59 ฿51.8

11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NAD 33.17

$1.40 ฿45.70

45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 NAD 29.47

$1.17 ฿38.17

54.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NAD 30.54

$0.66 ฿21.60

184.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NAD 18.59

$0.53 ฿17.22

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 NAD 45.70

$4.69 ฿153

-40.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 NAD 117

$18.66 ฿609

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 NAD 21.80

$1.80 ฿58.8

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NAD 30.03

$3.23 ฿106

-42.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 NAD 11.34

$0.90 ฿29.26

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.64 NAD 661

$19.21 ฿628

111.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 NAD 11.12

$1.41 ฿45.91

-51.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NAD 11.89

$1.29 ฿42.12

-43.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 NAD 187

$7.84 ฿256

46.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 NAD 19.93

$1.27 ฿41.58

-3.15%

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

$21.2K NAD 344.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-0.44%

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

$24.0K NAD 389.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

7.96%

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

$116 NAD 1,893

$69.1 ฿2,256

68.65%

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

$17.47 NAD 284

$14.08 ฿460

24.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 NAD 828

$18.00 ฿588

183.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.28 NAD 606

$41.06 ฿1,341

-9.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 NAD 217

$6.96 ฿227

92.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 NAD 88.1

$5.92 ฿193

-8.45%

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

$218 NAD 3,539

$299 ฿9,766

-27.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,110 NAD 83.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-65.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 NAD 840

$54.7 ฿1,787

-5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 NAD 437

$26.77 ฿874

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NAD 1,451

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 NAD 1,353

$70.6 ฿2,306

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 NAD 7,970

$428 ฿14.0K

14.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NAD 6,326

$237 ฿7,752

64.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 NAD 20.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 NAD 15.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

84.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 NAD 27.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-15.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$616 NAD 10.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-58.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 NAD 16.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

67.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

133.80%

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

Last update for Windhoek: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Windhoek 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 68% 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 $39.00 in Windhoek versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Windhoek vs $246 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 28% 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 $1,663 per month in Windhoek 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Windhoek and $299 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 24% 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 $866, than in Windhoek at $1,108. 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 $866 versus $1,108 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.