Cost of Living Comparison Between Homa Bay and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Homa Bay and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $57.2 per month in Homa Bay vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $172 per month in Homa Bay vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $287 per month in Homa Bay vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Homa Bay is about 93% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Homa Bay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Homa Bay 96% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.34 KES 4,972

$18.80 ฿612

103.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 KES 1,394

$7.75 ฿252

38.71%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 KES 126

$0.36 ฿11.62

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KES 316

$2.21 ฿72.1

10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 KES 660

$3.66 ฿119

39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

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

$13.68 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

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 %)

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

Last update for Homa Bay: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Homa Bay versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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

Homa Bay vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1418% more than Homa Bay, 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 $85.8 per month in Homa Bay and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $57.2 in Homa Bay and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Homa Bay and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $57.2 in Homa Bay and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homa Bay costs $57.2 versus $869 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 Homa Bay. 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.