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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $453 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $741 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,029 in Galle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 106% more than Galle, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Galle 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$1.54 LKR 510

35.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$23.87 LKR 7,891

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.48 LKR 2,473

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.77 LKR 586

2.26%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.70 LKR 230

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 82.3

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.24 LKR 409

78.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.49 LKR 494

154.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.62 LKR 537

26.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 LKR 187

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.76 LKR 251

84.21%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.58 LKR 521

43.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.25 LKR 4,381

22.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.15 LKR 1,702

-43.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.12 LKR 2,356

32.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.59 LKR 2,179

-59.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.79 LKR 261

37.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.23 LKR 1,398

-61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.25 LKR 412

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.98 LKR 325

30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.75 LKR 249

41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.94 LKR 312

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.49 LKR 162

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.36 LKR 3,424

-59.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$9.00 LKR 2,976

103.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.91 LKR 631

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.86 LKR 944

1.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.15 LKR 49.26

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.29 LKR 94.4

303.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.29 LKR 95.5

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.88 LKR 292

171.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.29 LKR 428

12.40%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-43.52%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-34.89%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

16.21%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.06 LKR 1,343

217.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$20.73 LKR 6,855

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.40 LKR 1,455

49.55%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

1973.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

1113.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.18 LKR 6,672

173.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.66 LKR 5,508

48.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

19.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

71.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$315 LKR 104.1K

90.99%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Galle: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 91% 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 Galle. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Galle – so Galle 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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 106% more than Galle, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $679 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Galle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Galle, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Galle 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. Galle costs $453 versus $932 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.