Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hamilton

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $5,122 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $50,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
248

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Hamilton

🇧🇲 Bermuda

$5,122

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Hamilton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,122 in Hamilton, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Hamilton $5,122

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $9,182 in Hamilton, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Hamilton $9,182

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $13.2K in Hamilton, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Hamilton $13.2K

Chiang Mai is about 82% cheaper than Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Hamilton is 278% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$50.5 BMD 50.5

-95.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$152 BMD 152

-87.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$17.19 BMD 17.19

-67.36%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$6.27 BMD 6.27

-73.52%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$2.96 BMD 2.96

-76.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$3.19 BMD 3.19

-90.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$7.47 BMD 7.47

-67.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$9.07 BMD 9.07

-59.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$4.86 BMD 4.86

-59.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$7.83 BMD 7.83

-81.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$5.64 BMD 5.64

-76.77%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$6.98 BMD 6.98

-68.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$23.71 BMD 23.71

-29.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$20.96 BMD 20.96

-86.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$19.65 BMD 19.65

-53.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$9.25 BMD 9.25

-74.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$6.76 BMD 6.76

-84.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$7.26 BMD 7.26

-77.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$8.50 BMD 8.50

-82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$5.56 BMD 5.56

-76.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$4.20 BMD 4.20

-73.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$6.21 BMD 6.21

-88.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$3.56 BMD 3.56

-85.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$17.73 BMD 17.73

-75.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$23.73 BMD 23.73

-24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$5.24 BMD 5.24

-69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$4.09 BMD 4.09

-30.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$4.97 BMD 4.97

-82.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$68.3 BMD 68.3

-21.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$6.43 BMD 6.43

-81.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$3.02 BMD 3.02

-81.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$70.5 BMD 70.5

-96.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$2.45 BMD 2.45

-41.22%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$38.2K BMD 38.2K

-45.77%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$43.5K BMD 43.5K

-38.32%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$294 BMD 294

-78.77%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$150 BMD 150

-91.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$159 BMD 159

-87.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$187 BMD 187

-80.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$15.21 BMD 15.21

-75.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$13.25 BMD 13.25

-50.94%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$1,298 BMD 1,298

-38.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$25.0K BMD 25.0K

-40.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$89.1 BMD 89.1

-39.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$70.5 BMD 70.5

-65.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$142 BMD 142

-35.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$127 BMD 127

-44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$3,934 BMD 3,934

-88.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$2,647 BMD 2,647

-88.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$8,541 BMD 8,541

-89.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$7,648 BMD 7,648

-92.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$14.9K BMD 14.9K

-87.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$8,868 BMD 8,868

-83.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$6,431 BMD 6,431

-90.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.63

-35.46%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Hamilton

$2.6K 51.7% 789% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Hamilton

$745 14.6% 216% $510

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Hamilton

$193 3.8% 78.2% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Hamilton

$603 11.8% 539% $508

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Hamilton

$611 11.9% 678% $533

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Hamilton

$110 2.1% 80.4% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Hamilton

$213 4.2% 326% $163

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $3,934 in Hamilton. 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 988% higher in Hamilton, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $152 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $745 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇲 Hamilton

🕒 Local time

08:46 8:46 AM

22:46 10:46 PM

10 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

10,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bermudian Dollar BMD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BMD = 1 USD

1 BMD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BMD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bermudian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BMD (1 BMD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BMD (1 BMD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Hamilton 14,080 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Hamilton

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton costs about 454% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $7,683 in Hamilton. 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,298 in Hamilton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 216% more in Hamilton, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Hamilton at $5,122. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $5,122 in Hamilton. 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, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.