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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Homagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Homagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Homagama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Homagama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Homagama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Homagama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.97 LKR 1,325

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$25.35 LKR 8,455

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.28 LKR 2,763

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.74 LKR 915

-29.93%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.68 LKR 226

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.41 LKR 135

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.28 LKR 761

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.28 LKR 1,094

11.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.35 LKR 449

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.52 LKR 172

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.65 LKR 217

83.08%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.99 LKR 664

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.29 LKR 4,768

11.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.05 LKR 1,349

-25.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.27 LKR 2,760

31.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.36 LKR 2,455

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.01 LKR 337

16.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.91 LKR 1,970

-72.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.20 LKR 401

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.10 LKR 368

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.02 LKR 341

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.16 LKR 386

-39.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.48 LKR 159

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$10.12 LKR 3,377

-54.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.75 LKR 3,920

40.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.99 LKR 663

-8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.30 LKR 769

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.52 LKR 175

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.39 LKR 129

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.56 LKR 187

1300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.26 LKR 420

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$15.3K LKR 5.1M

41.27%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$23.1K LKR 7.7M

-2.42%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$23.66 LKR 7,891

198.14%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.44 LKR 1,147

297.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.36 LKR 5,123

13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$6.74 LKR 2,249

513.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.41 LKR 1,138

104.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.33 LKR 1,110

73.27%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

748.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$438 LKR 146.1K

3235.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$27.19 LKR 9,069

105.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$13.53 LKR 4,514

93.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$26.27 LKR 8,763

226.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$30.51 LKR 10.2K

136.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$109 LKR 36.2K

295.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$50.5 LKR 16.9K

372.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$150 LKR 50.1K

311.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-69.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Homagama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $109 in Homagama. 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 312% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Homagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Homagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Homagama, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $771 in Homagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Homagama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Homagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $514 in Homagama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homagama costs $514 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Homagama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.