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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $411 in Hama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $620 in Hama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $829 in Hama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 111% more than Hama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Hama 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.53 SYP 390

-45.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$12.23 SYP 1,351

52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$2.49 SYP 275

214.06%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.73 SYP 80.6

167.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.89 SYP 98.3

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.48 SYP 53.5

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.64 SYP 181

29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.46 SYP 272

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.49 SYP 53.9

248.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 SYP 70.0

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.28 SYP 141

-10.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.84 SYP 204

4.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.03 SYP 335

434.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.83 SYP 423

-18.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.17 SYP 682

76.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.93 SYP 103

195.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.81 SYP 199

-33.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.99 SYP 109

63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.52 SYP 57.2

205.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.53 SYP 58.1

164.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.44 SYP 48.54

165.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.24 SYP 26.44

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.58 SYP 63.8

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.55 SYP 282

83.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.80 SYP 640

221.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.98 SYP 108

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.77 SYP 195

82.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.22 SYP 24.66

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.48 SYP 53.4

193.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.52 SYP 57.3

148.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.63 SYP 733

18.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.47 SYP 162

-13.61%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.6K SYP 2.1M

14.63%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.6K SYP 2.3M

7.88%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$104 SYP 11.5K

-33.47%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.64 SYP 955

62.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$54.4 SYP 6,010

-66.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$3.44 SYP 380

1093.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.43 SYP 379

102.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.92 SYP 322

102.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$35.55 SYP 3,928

741.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$490 SYP 54.2K

2949.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$9.89 SYP 1,092

453.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.28 SYP 2,793

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$45.23 SYP 4,998

87.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$20.11 SYP 2,222

251.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$89.1 SYP 9,840

799.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$65.4 SYP 7,229

687.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hama: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Hama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $123 – 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 111% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $616 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 $19.00 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $411 in Hama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hama costs $411 versus $866 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.