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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $405 in Hama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $615 in Hama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $824 in Hama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 113% more than Hama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hama 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.54 SYP 430

-44.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$11.93 SYP 1,449

53.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.56 SYP 311

192.19%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.79 SYP 95.5

155.70%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.88 SYP 107

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.48 SYP 58.4

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.59 SYP 193

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.45 SYP 298

46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.52 SYP 63.2

217.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.59 SYP 72.2

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.23 SYP 149

-3.25%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.87 SYP 228

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$2.97 SYP 361

445.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.74 SYP 454

-20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.02 SYP 732

81.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.92 SYP 111

194.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.81 SYP 220

-35.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.98 SYP 119

72.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.51 SYP 62.6

213.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.54 SYP 65.0

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.47 SYP 56.7

155.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.24 SYP 29.11

179.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.58 SYP 70.8

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.48 SYP 301

87.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.97 SYP 726

195.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.97 SYP 118

91.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.75 SYP 212

88.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.18 SYP 21.97

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.48 SYP 57.8

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.48 SYP 57.8

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.36 SYP 772

29.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.47 SYP 178

-17.01%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

16.89%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$21.4K SYP 2.6M

5.36%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$101 SYP 12.2K

-29.84%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.21 SYP 998

71.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$54.3 SYP 6,601

-67.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$3.53 SYP 430

1094.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.48 SYP 423

97.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.95 SYP 358

100.68%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$34.44 SYP 4,185

795.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$506 SYP 61.4K

2843.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$9.87 SYP 1,200

464.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$25.30 SYP 3,074

3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$44.15 SYP 5,365

88.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$20.32 SYP 2,469

246.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$90.9 SYP 11.0K

804.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$65.7 SYP 7,983

679.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hama: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Hama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $122 – making Hama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 113% more than Hama, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $608 in Hama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Hama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $405 in Hama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hama costs $405 versus $861 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 Hama. 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.