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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $887 in Hamra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,424 in Hamra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,961 in Hamra, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Hamra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Hamra are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hamra 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$10.93 LBP 978.6K

-82.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

-68.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$7.83 LBP 700.7K

0.51%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$3.42 LBP 305.8K

-42.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$1.63 LBP 146.2K

-47.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.92 LBP 82.3K

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

-37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$4.93 LBP 441.0K

-25.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.73 LBP 154.7K

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.81 LBP 72.2K

92.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.81 LBP 162.4K

-34.25%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$3.08 LBP 276.0K

-35.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$11.50 LBP 1.0M

41.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$9.43 LBP 843.6K

-66.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$11.30 LBP 1.0M

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.72 LBP 154.3K

54.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.51 LBP 135.4K

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.14 LBP 102.5K

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.05 LBP 94.0K

47.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.98 LBP 88.0K

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.56 LBP 50.4K

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.56 LBP 229.2K

82.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$9.91 LBP 886.5K

71.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.28 LBP 114.4K

42.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.13 LBP 190.4K

49.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$4.98 LBP 445.5K

-71.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

5.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$20.22 LBP 1.8M

-59.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.91 LBP 81.3K

40.66%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

-38.58%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-20.04%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$212 LBP 19.0M

-66.77%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$37.43 LBP 3.3M

-62.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$37.40 LBP 3.3M

-52.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$8.05 LBP 720.1K

-25.96%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$302 LBP 27.0M

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$4,412 LBP 394.9M

239.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$70.3 LBP 6.3M

-22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$45.08 LBP 4.0M

-41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$123 LBP 11.0M

-30.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$94.1 LBP 8.4M

-25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Hamra: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $59.0 in Hamra. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Hamra – so Hamra 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 Hamra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamra costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,330 in Hamra. 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 $59.0 in Hamra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Hamra – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $887 in Hamra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $887 in Hamra. 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, Hamra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.