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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $536 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,186 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.96 LKR 1,331

-50.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.34 LKR 8,516

-27.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.43 LKR 2,832

-11.27%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.75 LKR 925

-26.55%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.73 LKR 247

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.34 LKR 116

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.27 LKR 763

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.28 LKR 1,103

9.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.69 LKR 568

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.56 LKR 189

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.80 LKR 269

48.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.23 LKR 751

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.36 LKR 4,825

12.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.58 LKR 1,539

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.94 LKR 2,668

37.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$7.31 LKR 2,458

-62.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.07 LKR 358

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.92 LKR 1,988

-71.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.22 LKR 408

31.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.16 LKR 389

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.35 LKR 453

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.20 LKR 403

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.61 LKR 204

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$10.03 LKR 3,372

-53.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.57 LKR 4,223

40.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.09 LKR 703

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.87 LKR 966

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.42 LKR 140

223.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.35 LKR 119

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.61 LKR 204

1245.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.20 LKR 402

1.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

-19.98%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-35.93%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

17.00%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.25 LKR 1,429

230.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$15.26 LKR 5,129

14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.31 LKR 1,113

78.85%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$36.35 LKR 12.2K

748.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$449 LKR 151.0K

3211.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.77 LKR 9,332

100.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.33 LKR 6,495

35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$69.3 LKR 23.3K

19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$39.17 LKR 13.2K

79.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$204 LKR 68.6K

183.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-69.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 184% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $257 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $804 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $536 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $536 versus $861 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.