Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $483 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$1.53 LKR 503

35.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$24.46 LKR 8,025

-19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.76 LKR 2,547

-27.19%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.40 LKR 788

-24.58%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.68 LKR 222

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.25 LKR 82.0

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.26 LKR 742

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.12 LKR 1,024

16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.61 LKR 529

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.57 LKR 187

163.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.76 LKR 249

76.32%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.65 LKR 543

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.35 LKR 4,380

21.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.08 LKR 1,668

-41.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.39 LKR 2,423

34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$6.91 LKR 2,268

-62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.83 LKR 273

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.43 LKR 1,453

-63.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.25 LKR 410

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.01 LKR 331

25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.76 LKR 251

40.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.95 LKR 313

-24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.48 LKR 158

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$10.43 LKR 3,422

-59.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$13.55 LKR 4,447

31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.91 LKR 625

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.80 LKR 917

1.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.41 LKR 135

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.37 LKR 123

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$0.89 LKR 291

171.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.32 LKR 434

6.82%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-28.77%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-34.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$53.1 LKR 17.4K

19.97%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.18 LKR 1,371

207.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.62 LKR 6,765

-1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.51 LKR 1,479

49.45%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

1922.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,218 LKR 399.6K

1099.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.38 LKR 6,688

166.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$16.64 LKR 5,458

52.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$79.9 LKR 26.2K

18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$42.65 LKR 14.0K

72.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$456 LKR 149.5K

96.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$213 LKR 70.0K

182.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 182% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $239 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – so Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

Chiang Mai vs Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $725 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $483 versus $947 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.