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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $496 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,320 in Galle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.03 LKR 1,012

-34.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$25.34 LKR 8,451

-25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.05 LKR 2,685

-3.73%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.65 LKR 885

-27.55%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 LKR 229

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.41 LKR 136

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.29 LKR 763

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.97 LKR 990

23.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.79 LKR 596

-7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.34 LKR 115

379.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.80 LKR 268

48.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.99 LKR 663

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.94 LKR 4,651

14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.73 LKR 1,576

-35.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.08 LKR 2,694

34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.53 LKR 2,510

-63.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.89 LKR 297

32.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.72 LKR 1,908

-71.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.26 LKR 421

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.14 LKR 381

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.42 LKR 473

-16.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.19 LKR 397

-41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.46 LKR 154

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$9.89 LKR 3,300

-53.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$9.10 LKR 3,035

81.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.08 LKR 692

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.85 LKR 950

12.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.17 LKR 55.1

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.32 LKR 106

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.57 LKR 189

1275.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.26 LKR 420

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-18.58%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

-36.44%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

18.24%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.28 LKR 1,426

219.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$13.33 LKR 4,446

30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.31 LKR 1,105

74.32%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

728.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$447 LKR 149.2K

3166.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$27.02 LKR 9,013

106.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$19.64 LKR 6,552

33.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

22.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

89.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$197 LKR 65.9K

313.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$153 LKR 51.2K

232.79%

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)

$619 ฿20.2K

$301 LKR 100.3K

105.86%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 106% 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: $241 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 75% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $743 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 2% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $496 in Galle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $496 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 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.