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 $493 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,306 in Galle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 73% 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 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.95 LKR 989

-30.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$25.61 LKR 8,592

-26.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.84 LKR 2,629

0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.71 LKR 910

-25.09%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$0.74 LKR 247

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.41 LKR 137

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$2.31 LKR 777

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.97 LKR 995

23.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.79 LKR 601

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.32 LKR 106

390.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$0.82 LKR 274

46.34%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$1.91 LKR 642

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$14.18 LKR 4,757

14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.63 LKR 1,555

-33.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$8.16 LKR 2,739

32.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$7.28 LKR 2,444

-61.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$0.93 LKR 314

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.67 LKR 1,904

-69.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.20 LKR 404

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$1.12 LKR 374

24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$1.43 LKR 480

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$1.16 LKR 389

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.43 LKR 143

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-53.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$9.10 LKR 3,055

95.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$2.02 LKR 678

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.85 LKR 957

17.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.19 LKR 65.3

378.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.35 LKR 116

302.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$0.61 LKR 204

1229.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$1.25 LKR 419

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

-21.44%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-37.60%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

17.30%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$4.30 LKR 1,443

225.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$13.18 LKR 4,423

36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.33 LKR 1,116

71.77%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

731.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$433 LKR 145.4K

3287.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$27.42 LKR 9,200

103.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.08 LKR 6,402

36.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

21.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$38.65 LKR 13.0K

83.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$192 LKR 64.4K

315.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$149 LKR 50.0K

239.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$305 LKR 102.3K

95.22%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Galle: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 95% 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 $26.00 in Galle. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $243 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 73% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $739 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 $26.00 in Galle. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $493 in Galle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $493 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.