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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $427 in Homs, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $639 in Homs, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $850 in Homs, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Homs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Homs are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.98 SYP 330

-34.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$12.12 SYP 1,339

53.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.95 SYP 437

97.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.99 SYP 109

96.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.67 SYP 73.7

26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.44 SYP 48.73

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$0.83 SYP 91.3

156.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$0.98 SYP 109

280.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.67 SYP 74.2

155.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.59 SYP 65.0

176.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.13 SYP 125

0.88%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.85 SYP 204

4.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$2.70 SYP 299

500.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.61 SYP 620

-44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.17 SYP 1,234

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.67 SYP 73.9

310.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.42 SYP 157

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.48 SYP 52.8

237.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.32 SYP 34.88

396.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.57 SYP 62.5

145.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 SYP 73.0

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.37 SYP 41.38

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.58 SYP 64.2

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.51 SYP 167

210.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$3.68 SYP 406

407.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.88 SYP 97.7

104.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.98 SYP 108

229.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.02 SYP 113

38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.02 SYP 112

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.54 SYP 170

409.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.26 SYP 140

0.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

16.34%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.1K SYP 2.3M

5.13%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$104 SYP 11.4K

-33.28%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.05 SYP 669

132.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.71 SYP 1,625

22.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$10.15 SYP 1,121

304.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.88 SYP 540

42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.93 SYP 323

102.05%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$43.65 SYP 4,823

585.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,825 SYP 201.7K

719.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$14.92 SYP 1,649

266.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$12.43 SYP 1,374

115.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$45.88 SYP 5,069

85.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$56.6 SYP 6,255

24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$76.4 SYP 8,444

460.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$35.68 SYP 3,943

565.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$296 SYP 32.7K

170.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$49.82 SYP 5,505

934.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$73.3 SYP 8,095

742.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

-63.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Homs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $76.4 in Homs. 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 743% 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 $12.00 in Homs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $135 – making Homs 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 Homs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Homs, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $641 in Homs. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Homs, 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 $12.00 in Homs. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $427 in Homs, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homs costs $427 versus $866 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 Homs. 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.