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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $508 per month in Homagama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $807 per month in Homagama vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,107 per month in Homagama vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Homagama is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Homagama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Homagama 62% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 LKR 1,247

$1.96 ฿64.0

99.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.66 LKR 7,863

$18.81 ฿615

31.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 LKR 2,694

$7.92 ฿259

6.69%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 866

$1.91 ฿62.6

42.41%

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

$0.68 LKR 217

$0.84 ฿27.41

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 121

$0.35 ฿11.51

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 741

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,036

$3.80 ฿124

-14.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 429

$1.64 ฿53.5

-17.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 177

$1.62 ฿53.1

-65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 203

$1.18 ฿38.62

-45.76%

Eggs

$2.04 LKR 651

$2.01 ฿65.8

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 LKR 4,455

$15.89 ฿520

-12.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 LKR 1,297

$3.01 ฿98.5

35.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 LKR 2,538

$10.77 ฿352

-26.09%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,407

$2.61 ฿85.5

189.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 315

$1.22 ฿39.88

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 LKR 1,902

$1.70 ฿55.7

250.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 399

$1.58 ฿51.5

-20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 367

$1.32 ฿43.14

-12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 312

$1.17 ฿38.23

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 380

$0.67 ฿21.98

77.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 LKR 164

$0.56 ฿18.32

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 LKR 3,253

$4.53 ฿148

125.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,073

$18.20 ฿595

-29.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 624

$1.83 ฿60.0

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 734

$3.23 ฿106

-28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 LKR 156

$0.89 ฿29.00

-44.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.35 ฿44.20

-71.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$1.35 ฿44.05

-74.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$8.25 ฿270

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 399

$1.27 ฿41.64

-1.57%

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

$15.0K LKR 4.8M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-29.28%

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

$23.2K LKR 7.4M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

3.06%

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

$23.32 LKR 7,437

$70.2 ฿2,294

-66.76%

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

$3.32 LKR 1,060

$13.77 ฿450

-75.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 LKR 4,875

$17.60 ฿575

-13.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.57 LKR 2,097

$41.57 ฿1,360

-84.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.38 LKR 1,079

$6.60 ฿216

-48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,050

$5.78 ฿189

-43.08%

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

$37.35 LKR 11.9K

$306 ฿10.0K

-87.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 141.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-97.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.74 LKR 8,846

$54.4 ฿1,778

-48.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.23 LKR 4,220

$26.14 ฿855

-49.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.43 LKR 8,427

$84.5 ฿2,764

-68.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.62 LKR 9,764

$69.4 ฿2,270

-55.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 LKR 34.8K

$424 ฿13.9K

-74.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.90 LKR 15.9K

$238 ฿7,788

-79.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$155 LKR 49.3K

$635 ฿20.8K

-75.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

229.00%

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

Last update for Homagama: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $109 in Homagama versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 311% 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 $25.00 in Homagama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $243 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Homagama, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $761 per month in Homagama and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Homagama, 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 $25.00 in Homagama 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 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $508 in Homagama and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homagama costs $508 versus $852 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 Homagama. 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.