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 $897 in Hamra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Hamra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,928 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.77 LBP 964.0K

-81.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$61.2 LBP 5.5M

-69.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.22 LBP 735.7K

-3.65%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.39 LBP 303.4K

-43.66%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.63 LBP 145.6K

-48.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

-60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.47 LBP 310.9K

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$5.03 LBP 450.4K

-24.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.70 LBP 152.4K

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.85 LBP 75.7K

90.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.84 LBP 164.8K

-35.87%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.11 LBP 278.6K

-35.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.33 LBP 1.0M

40.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$9.41 LBP 842.0K

-68.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.21 LBP 1.0M

-3.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

45.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.51 LBP 135.4K

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.15 LBP 103.1K

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.09 LBP 97.7K

44.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.92 LBP 82.7K

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.05 LBP 93.8K

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.55 LBP 49.4K

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.52 LBP 225.7K

79.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.88 LBP 973.7K

67.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.24 LBP 110.5K

47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.20 LBP 196.8K

46.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.91 LBP 439.8K

-72.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.27 LBP 113.7K

6.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.95 LBP 1.8M

-58.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.96 LBP 86.2K

32.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-40.04%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

-19.90%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$212 LBP 19.0M

-66.97%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$37.50 LBP 3.4M

-63.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$36.72 LBP 3.3M

-52.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.89 LBP 706.1K

-26.74%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$300 LBP 26.9M

1.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,409 LBP 394.6M

236.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$70.1 LBP 6.3M

-22.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$45.84 LBP 4.1M

-42.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$121 LBP 10.8M

-30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$95.7 LBP 8.6M

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hamra: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $61.0 in Hamra. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,345 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 $61.0 in Hamra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $897 in Hamra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $897 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.