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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $429 in Homs, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $635 in Homs, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $841 in Homs, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 101% more than Homs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Homs are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Homs 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.05 SYP 371

-35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$12.03 SYP 1,462

52.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.07 SYP 495

83.78%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.01 SYP 122

100.00%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.62 SYP 75.8

37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.41 SYP 50.1

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$0.88 SYP 108

143.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.01 SYP 123

255.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.63 SYP 76.2

161.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.60 SYP 72.6

161.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.13 SYP 138

5.31%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.85 SYP 225

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$2.81 SYP 342

476.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.63 SYP 684

-46.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.08 SYP 1,347

-1.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.63 SYP 76.3

330.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.37 SYP 167

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.52 SYP 63.2

225.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.31 SYP 38.24

416.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.57 SYP 68.9

142.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.61 SYP 74.4

96.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.38 SYP 45.74

76.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.59 SYP 71.4

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.54 SYP 187

201.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.80 SYP 461

363.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.83 SYP 101

124.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.02 SYP 123

223.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.01 SYP 123

34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.99 SYP 120

35.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.47 SYP 179

458.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.23 SYP 149

-0.81%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

17.65%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

8.86%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$101 SYP 12.2K

-29.73%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$5.90 SYP 716

137.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$15.08 SYP 1,833

15.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$9.87 SYP 1,199

327.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.90 SYP 596

40.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.09 SYP 375

91.59%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$43.94 SYP 5,339

602.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,835 SYP 223.0K

710.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$14.77 SYP 1,795

277.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$12.52 SYP 1,521

108.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$45.16 SYP 5,488

83.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$55.6 SYP 6,760

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$76.4 SYP 9,285

465.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$35.14 SYP 4,271

579.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$300 SYP 36.5K

173.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$49.52 SYP 6,017

934.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$74.3 SYP 9,034

679.35%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Homs: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 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 679% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Homs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $134 – 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 101% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $644 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 $18.00 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 81% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $429 in Homs, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homs costs $429 versus $861 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.