Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hama

For one person, living is cheaper in Hama: $549 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hama, Syria
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Hama
🇸🇾 Syria
$549
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Hama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Hama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $549 in Hama, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Hama $549

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $859 in Hama, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Hama $859

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,170 in Hama, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Hama $1,170

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Hama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Hama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hama 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.7
$7.51 SYP 912
-71.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿625
$30.27 SYP 3,678
-38.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿188
$2.72 SYP 331
105.88%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.9
$1.16 SYP 141
43.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.73
$2.27 SYP 276
-71.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.24
$0.83 SYP 101
-63.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.0
$1.86 SYP 226
24.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$1.72 SYP 209
113.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.7
$1.02 SYP 124
98.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.29
$0.42 SYP 50.7
235.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.75
$1.60 SYP 194
-13.13%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.5
$1.53 SYP 186
54.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿555
$4.02 SYP 488
310.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.7
$5.81 SYP 706
-54.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿303
$14.00 SYP 1,701
-35.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.6
$1.03 SYP 125
133.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.98
$1.40 SYP 170
-25.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.7
$1.09 SYP 132
52.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.4
$1.02 SYP 124
52.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.57
$0.74 SYP 89.6
67.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.50
$0.76 SYP 92.9
43.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.59
$0.43 SYP 52.7
76.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.27
$0.67 SYP 81.5
-23.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$2.75 SYP 334
49.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿602
$5.06 SYP 615
254.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.5
$1.14 SYP 138
42.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.8
$2.76 SYP 335
2.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.39
$0.21 SYP 25.66
342.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,777
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.52
$1.02 SYP 124
15.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.76
$1.49 SYP 181
-88.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$7.81 SYP 949
-76.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.47
$3.70 SYP 450
-60.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿705.8K
$15.1K SYP 1.8M
39.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿890.7K
$18.8K SYP 2.3M
41.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,101
$138 SYP 16.7K
-54.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿390
$9.18 SYP 1,116
26.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿682
$22.91 SYP 2,784
-11.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,272
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿219
$5.45 SYP 662
19.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.4K
$67.6 SYP 8,215
975.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿556.7K
$1,761 SYP 213.9K
841.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,798
$28.71 SYP 3,489
86.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿833
$39.53 SYP 4,803
-37.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,036
$61.0 SYP 7,405
48.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,418
$57.9 SYP 7,038
24.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Hama: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Hama
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Hama
$168 29.1% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Hama
$84 22.3% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Hama
$170 79.6% $75
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Hama
$107 40.2% $31
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Hama
$9.3 * 84.1% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Hama
$11 * 78.6% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Hama. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Hama – so Hama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇸🇾 Hama
🕒 Local time
07:03 7:03 AM
03:03 3:03 AM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
312,994
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

SYP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.31 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Hama 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Hama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hama?
Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Hama, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Hama?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $824 in Hama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Hama?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $30 in Hama. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Hama?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or in Hama?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $549 in Hama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Hama?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $549 in Hama to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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