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 $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $481 in Homagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $740 in Homagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,000 in Homagama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Homagama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Homagama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Homagama 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$4.52 LKR 1,495

-52.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿652

$23.77 LKR 7,865

-18.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$7.69 LKR 2,546

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.49 LKR 825

-32.53%

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

$0.66 ฿22.18

$0.69 LKR 228

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

$0.27 LKR 90.0

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$2.17 LKR 717

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$2.97 LKR 982

25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$0.88 LKR 292

134.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.95

$0.53 LKR 176

175.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.25

$0.52 LKR 173

159.62%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$1.65 LKR 545

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$13.89 LKR 4,596

17.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$3.33 LKR 1,102

-18.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$7.39 LKR 2,446

24.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$6.64 LKR 2,196

-64.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.78

$0.79 LKR 260

31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.53 LKR 1,500

-64.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.54

$1.27 LKR 419

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.75

$1.00 LKR 331

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.43

$0.80 LKR 263

38.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.64

$0.88 LKR 291

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.05

$0.47 LKR 156

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$10.20 LKR 3,376

-59.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

$12.29 LKR 4,065

44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.84 LKR 610

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.4

$2.14 LKR 708

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.47 LKR 155

82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,786

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.96

$0.34 LKR 114

258.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.88

$0.37 LKR 124

51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$0.92 LKR 305

151.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.09 LKR 359

37.61%

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

$20.9K ฿700.8K

$13.4K LKR 4.4M

56.13%

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

$26.7K ฿898.3K

$21.6K LKR 7.1M

23.97%

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

$21.16 LKR 7,003

189.51%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$3.02 LKR 999

313.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$20.88 LKR 6,911

-2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,275

$7.72 LKR 2,554

391.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$4.28 LKR 1,416

54.21%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$37.29 LKR 12.3K

1975.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿485.0K

$1,192 LKR 394.4K

1110.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,841

$18.02 LKR 5,964

204.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿849

$12.08 LKR 3,999

109.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,043

$24.18 LKR 8,002

274.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,461

$27.68 LKR 9,158

164.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$137 LKR 45.3K

234.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,871

$60.8 LKR 20.1K

382.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$150 LKR 49.7K

294.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Homagama: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $137 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 294% 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 $24.00 in Homagama. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $218 in Homagama – so Homagama 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 Homagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 88% 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $721 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 $24.00 in Homagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Homagama, where all-in costs run around $481, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Homagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homagama costs $481 versus $906 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.