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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Hamra vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,428 per month in Hamra vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,951 per month in Hamra vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hamra costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hamra 33% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.01 LBP 985.7K

$1.98 ฿64.3

456.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

$18.80 ฿612

214.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 LBP 712.8K

$7.75 ฿252

2.71%

Cappuccino

$3.41 LBP 305.0K

$1.92 ฿62.5

77.60%

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

$1.62 LBP 145.4K

$0.79 ฿25.79

105.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.36 ฿11.62

138.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 LBP 314.8K

$2.21 ฿72.1

59.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 LBP 455.4K

$3.66 ฿119

39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 159.9K

$1.65 ฿53.8

8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-49.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 LBP 164.4K

$1.19 ฿38.86

54.62%

Eggs

$3.17 LBP 284.0K

$2.00 ฿65.1

58.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 LBP 1.0M

$15.98 ฿520

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 LBP 853.3K

$3.03 ฿98.5

214.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

$10.86 ฿354

4.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$2.76 ฿90.0

-34.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.7K

$1.18 ฿38.42

22.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.1K

$1.64 ฿53.5

-30.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.1K

$1.52 ฿49.51

-27.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.8K

$1.38 ฿45.10

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 LBP 92.3K

$1.19 ฿38.84

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$0.70 ฿22.86

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$0.56 ฿18.13

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 LBP 226.1K

$4.58 ฿149

-44.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 LBP 908.1K

$16.56 ฿539

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 111.1K

$1.83 ฿59.5

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.1K

$3.20 ฿104

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 437.1K

$1.36 ฿44.16

258.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 LBP 110.2K

$1.34 ฿43.65

-8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 LBP 1.8M

$7.84 ฿256

152.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.3K

$1.23 ฿39.92

-26.83%

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

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

$21.6K ฿704.3K

61.75%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K ฿734.3K

23.57%

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

$213 LBP 19.0M

$70.5 ฿2,298

201.36%

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

$37.51 LBP 3.4M

$13.68 ฿445

174.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 LBP 3.4M

$17.45 ฿568

116.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 LBP 719.1K

$5.77 ฿188

39.17%

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

$307 LBP 27.5M

$307 ฿10.0K

0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,477 LBP 400.7M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-69.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 LBP 6.4M

$55.8 ฿1,817

29.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 LBP 4.1M

$26.21 ฿854

74.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 LBP 11.1M

$85.8 ฿2,793

45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 LBP 8.4M

$72.2 ฿2,353

29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Hamra: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Hamra versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Hamra vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Hamra 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

Hamra vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamra costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 Hamra and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Hamra and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Hamra – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $906 in Hamra and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $906 in Hamra. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.