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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $479 in Homagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $739 in Homagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Homagama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 92% more than Homagama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Homagama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Homagama 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$4.29 LKR 1,414

-50.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$24.90 LKR 8,214

-20.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.65 LKR 2,523

-23.53%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.45 LKR 808

-28.16%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.67 LKR 222

10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.27 LKR 89.9

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.20 LKR 725

12.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$3.01 LKR 994

28.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.91 LKR 300

108.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.50 LKR 166

234.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$0.52 LKR 170

159.62%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.56 LKR 514

37.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$12.74 LKR 4,203

24.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$3.24 LKR 1,067

-12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$7.21 LKR 2,377

46.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$6.68 LKR 2,202

-64.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$0.78 LKR 258

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$4.44 LKR 1,464

-65.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.22 LKR 402

22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.00 LKR 330

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.78 LKR 256

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.86 LKR 284

-19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.47 LKR 154

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$9.95 LKR 3,281

-57.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$11.85 LKR 3,908

41.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.77 LKR 585

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.07 LKR 682

35.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.47 LKR 155

91.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.37 LKR 123

224.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.35 LKR 114

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$0.93 LKR 308

154.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.10 LKR 364

30.00%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$13.5K LKR 4.4M

56.42%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$20.6K LKR 6.8M

31.59%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$20.92 LKR 6,901

209.46%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$3.07 LKR 1,012

329.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$20.69 LKR 6,827

-6.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$7.36 LKR 2,430

436.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$4.07 LKR 1,343

62.65%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$37.97 LKR 12.5K

2020.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$1,195 LKR 394.1K

1165.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$19.38 LKR 6,391

182.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$11.91 LKR 3,930

113.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$23.51 LKR 7,757

290.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$26.75 LKR 8,825

179.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$134 LKR 44.3K

247.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$60.0 LKR 19.8K

370.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$148 LKR 48.7K

301.40%

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Homagama: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $134 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 301% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Homagama. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $211 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 92% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $718 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 $20.00 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.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $479, than in Chiang Mai at $920. 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 $479 versus $920 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.