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 $1,008 per month in Hamra vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Hamra vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Hamra vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hamra costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hamra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hamra 26% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 LBP 1.1M

$2.08 ฿69.5

471.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 LBP 5.6M

$19.61 ฿655

219.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

$5.67 ฿189

73.90%

Cappuccino

$4.72 LBP 422.4K

$1.81 ฿60.3

160.77%

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

$2.26 LBP 202.7K

$0.77 ฿25.65

193.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

$0.35 ฿11.53

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 LBP 436.6K

$2.21 ฿73.9

120.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 LBP 439.5K

$3.79 ฿127

29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 LBP 174.6K

$2.05 ฿68.4

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$1.51 ฿50.6

-44.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 LBP 199.2K

$1.40 ฿46.69

59.29%

Eggs

$3.50 LBP 312.9K

$2.26 ฿75.4

54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 LBP 1.2M

$16.19 ฿540

-15.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$2.90 ฿96.7

271.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 LBP 1.2M

$9.42 ฿314

47.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 LBP 266.2K

$2.68 ฿89.4

10.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

$1.09 ฿36.37

56.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 151.9K

$1.62 ฿54.0

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.4K

$1.46 ฿48.74

3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 LBP 120.8K

$1.28 ฿42.65

5.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.4K

$1.06 ฿35.31

59.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

$0.72 ฿23.94

69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 61.7K

$0.53 ฿17.56

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 LBP 267.1K

$4.23 ฿141

-29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 LBP 903.9K

$18.29 ฿611

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.3K

$1.63 ฿54.4

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 LBP 220.9K

$2.90 ฿96.8

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 LBP 448.5K

$1.17 ฿39.14

328.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 LBP 199.3K

$0.58 ฿19.30

284.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.32 LBP 2.0M

$2.39 ฿79.6

833.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 LBP 92.6K

$1.45 ฿48.41

-28.97%

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

$54.3K LBP 4.9B

$21.0K ฿701.4K

158.35%

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

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

$26.4K ฿882.0K

23.29%

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

$228 LBP 20.4M

$63.7 ฿2,125

257.69%

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

$23.02 LBP 2.1M

$12.89 ฿430

78.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 LBP 3.4M

$20.52 ฿685

86.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 LBP 898.3K

$6.58 ฿220

52.58%

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

$690 LBP 61.7M

$784 ฿26.2K

-12.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K LBP 946.3M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-27.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 LBP 6.0M

$55.1 ฿1,840

21.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

$24.74 ฿826

102.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 LBP 12.3M

$94.1 ฿3,142

45.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 LBP 10.9M

$74.0 ฿2,469

65.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Hamra: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Hamra versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Hamra costs about 8% 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 $1,513 per month in Hamra and $1,398 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 $63.0 in Hamra and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Hamra, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Hamra at $1,008. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,008 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.