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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $553 in Hama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $855 in Hama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,156 in Hama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Hama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Hama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.64 SYP 928

-72.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$30.17 SYP 3,666

-35.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.72 SYP 330

108.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.13 SYP 137

60.18%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.30 SYP 280

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.86 SYP 104

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.88 SYP 228

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.72 SYP 209

120.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.05 SYP 127

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.41 SYP 49.93

268.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.63 SYP 199

-14.11%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.62 SYP 196

39.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$3.89 SYP 472

316.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.56 SYP 675

-47.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.65 SYP 1,659

-30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.06 SYP 129

152.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.42 SYP 172

-23.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.14 SYP 138

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.01 SYP 123

44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.76 SYP 92.3

68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.75 SYP 90.8

41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.40 SYP 49.14

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.66 SYP 80.8

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.70 SYP 328

56.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.93 SYP 721

208.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.05 SYP 128

55.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.97 SYP 361

-2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.17 SYP 21.11

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.98 SYP 119

19.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.50 SYP 183

-61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.89 SYP 959

-69.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$3.77 SYP 459

-61.54%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$15.0K SYP 1.8M

39.86%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$19.2K SYP 2.3M

37.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$142 SYP 17.2K

-55.15%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.01 SYP 1,095

43.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$22.85 SYP 2,776

-10.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.60 SYP 680

17.50%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$66.5 SYP 8,083

1078.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,770 SYP 215.0K

729.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$29.01 SYP 3,525

89.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$39.52 SYP 4,801

-37.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$60.3 SYP 7,330

56.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$57.4 SYP 6,973

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.25

-60.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hama: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Hama. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Hama – so Hama 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 69% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $830 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Hama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hama, where all-in costs run around $553, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Hama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hama costs $553 versus $932 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.