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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $510 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $912 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,314 in Galle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.04 LKR 970

-35.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.04 LKR 7,985

-24.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.03 LKR 2,560

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.71 LKR 865

-29.52%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.73 LKR 234

15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.40 LKR 128

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.32 LKR 739

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.96 LKR 945

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.71 LKR 545

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.35 LKR 110

362.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.87 LKR 277

35.63%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.90 LKR 605

5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.15 LKR 4,512

12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.80 LKR 1,529

-37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.84 LKR 2,501

37.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.51 LKR 2,396

-65.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.88 LKR 282

38.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$5.85 LKR 1,864

-70.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.22 LKR 389

29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.10 LKR 352

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.38 LKR 439

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.18 LKR 377

-43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.42 LKR 136

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$9.96 LKR 3,175

-54.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.69 LKR 3,090

87.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.00 LKR 637

-8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.90 LKR 924

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.17 LKR 54.7

423.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.32 LKR 102

321.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 LKR 104

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.57 LKR 181

1347.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.22 LKR 389

4.10%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

-20.19%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-36.22%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

16.05%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.45 LKR 1,418

209.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.51 LKR 4,308

30.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.27 LKR 1,044

76.76%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$36.53 LKR 11.7K

738.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$441 LKR 140.7K

3260.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$27.53 LKR 8,779

97.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.42 LKR 6,192

34.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

80.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$197 LKR 62.8K

318.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$148 LKR 47.2K

248.42%

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)

$635 ฿20.8K

$325 LKR 103.5K

95.74%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Galle: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 96% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Galle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $245 – 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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Galle, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $765 in Galle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Galle. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $510 in Galle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $510 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 Galle. 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.