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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $497 in Gampaha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $872 in Gampaha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,247 in Gampaha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 73% more than Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Gampaha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gampaha 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.72 LKR 577

13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.50 LKR 8,569

-28.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.05 LKR 1,697

48.12%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.13 LKR 715

-5.16%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.69 LKR 231

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.38 LKR 127

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.21 LKR 743

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.64 LKR 552

118.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.78 LKR 597

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.52 LKR 176

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.73 LKR 244

63.01%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.21 LKR 741

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.34 LKR 4,819

12.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.38 LKR 1,470

-31.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.94 LKR 2,667

37.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.07 LKR 359

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-70.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.25 LKR 421

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.07 LKR 358

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.38 LKR 464

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.31 LKR 105

116.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.36 LKR 120

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-54.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.48 LKR 4,193

41.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.54 LKR 517

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.64 LKR 889

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.34 LKR 115

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 LKR 106

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.35 LKR 118

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.58 LKR 195

1315.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.26 LKR 425

-3.17%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-20.59%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-35.06%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

131.93%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.31 LKR 1,111

324.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$12.24 LKR 4,112

42.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$8.51 LKR 2,861

395.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.40 LKR 1,144

74.12%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$16.81 LKR 5,649

1735.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$137 LKR 45.9K

10795.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.31 LKR 9,176

104.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$9.88 LKR 3,322

164.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$26.60 LKR 8,939

164.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

336.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

279.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$333 LKR 112.1K

146.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$186 LKR 62.4K

175.78%

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

$219 LKR 73.5K

164.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-50.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 165% 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 $26.00 in Gampaha. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $242 in Gampaha – so Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 73% more than Gampaha, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $745 in Gampaha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gampaha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Gampaha. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $497 in Gampaha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gampaha costs $497 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 Gampaha. 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.