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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $893 in Hamra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,403 in Hamra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,913 in Hamra, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$10.80 LBP 966.9K

-81.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$60.0 LBP 5.4M

-68.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.81 LBP 698.8K

0.64%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.31 LBP 296.3K

-38.67%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.58 LBP 141.1K

-49.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.56 LBP 318.7K

-39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$5.04 LBP 451.2K

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.76 LBP 157.8K

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.85 LBP 76.0K

84.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.77 LBP 158.0K

-32.20%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.22 LBP 288.2K

-38.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.11 LBP 994.0K

46.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$9.57 LBP 856.4K

-68.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-5.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.79 LBP 159.8K

54.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.51 LBP 135.2K

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.04 LBP 93.0K

52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.01 LBP 90.4K

37.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.56 LBP 50.1K

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.45 LBP 219.2K

89.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.86 LBP 882.8K

80.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.24 LBP 111.3K

44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.13 LBP 190.4K

56.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.97 LBP 444.8K

-71.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

10.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-59.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.90 LBP 80.3K

36.67%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$34.5K LBP 3.1B

-37.84%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-21.98%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$219 LBP 19.6M

-67.43%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$37.60 LBP 3.4M

-62.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$37.17 LBP 3.3M

-51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.88 LBP 705.4K

-27.41%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$308 LBP 27.6M

0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,427 LBP 396.3M

231.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$69.8 LBP 6.2M

-20.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.83 LBP 4.0M

-41.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$123 LBP 11.0M

-31.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$92.6 LBP 8.3M

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hamra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $60.0 in Hamra. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $235 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,339 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $60.0 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $893 in Hamra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $893 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.