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 $514 per month in Homagama vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Homagama vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,104 per month in Homagama vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Homagama is about 41% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,325

$1.98 ฿64.3

100.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.35 LKR 8,455

$18.80 ฿612

34.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 LKR 2,763

$7.75 ฿252

6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 915

$1.92 ฿62.5

42.71%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.36 ฿11.62

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 761

$2.21 ฿72.1

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,094

$3.66 ฿119

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 449

$1.65 ฿53.8

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 217

$1.19 ฿38.86

-45.38%

Eggs

$1.99 LKR 664

$2.00 ฿65.1

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 LKR 4,768

$15.98 ฿520

-10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 LKR 1,349

$3.03 ฿98.5

33.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,760

$10.86 ฿354

-23.85%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 LKR 2,455

$2.76 ฿90.0

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 337

$1.18 ฿38.42

-14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,970

$1.64 ฿53.5

260.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.52 ฿49.51

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 368

$1.38 ฿45.10

-20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 341

$1.19 ฿38.84

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$0.70 ฿22.86

65.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.56 ฿18.13

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 LKR 3,377

$4.58 ฿149

120.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 LKR 3,920

$16.56 ฿539

-29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 663

$1.83 ฿59.5

8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 769

$3.20 ฿104

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.88 ฿28.56

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.36 ฿44.16

-71.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.34 ฿43.65

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 187

$7.84 ฿256

-92.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$15.3K LKR 5.1M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-29.22%

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

$23.1K LKR 7.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

2.48%

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

$23.66 LKR 7,891

$70.5 ฿2,298

-66.46%

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

$3.44 LKR 1,147

$13.68 ฿445

-74.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,123

$17.45 ฿568

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.74 LKR 2,249

$41.33 ฿1,346

-83.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.41 LKR 1,138

$6.96 ฿227

-51.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,110

$5.77 ฿188

-42.29%

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

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

$307 ฿10.0K

-88.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-97.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 LKR 9,069

$55.8 ฿1,817

-51.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 LKR 4,514

$26.21 ฿854

-48.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.27 LKR 8,763

$85.8 ฿2,793

-69.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.51 LKR 10.2K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$109 LKR 36.2K

$430 ฿14.0K

-74.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.5 LKR 16.9K

$239 ฿7,774

-78.83%

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)

$150 LKR 50.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

-75.72%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $109 in Homagama versus $430 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 312% 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: $243 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 69% 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 $771 per month in Homagama and $1,303 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 $514 in Homagama and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Homagama costs $514 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 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.