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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $459 in Gampaha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $774 in Gampaha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,088 in Gampaha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 106% more than Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Gampaha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Gampaha 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$1.89 LKR 619

10.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$18.03 LKR 5,916

8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.25 LKR 1,723

7.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.25 LKR 411

44.80%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.59 LKR 192

20.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.27 LKR 89.1

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.10 LKR 689

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.10 LKR 1,018

17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.57 LKR 515

24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.45 LKR 147

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.74 LKR 244

81.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.58 LKR 519

43.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.04 LKR 4,279

24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.05 LKR 1,329

-27.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.34 LKR 2,407

35.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$6.19 LKR 2,032

-58.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.90 LKR 296

17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.35 LKR 1,427

-62.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.24 LKR 408

22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.02 LKR 336

24.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.75 LKR 246

42.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.29 LKR 94.1

148.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.32 LKR 106

59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$9.67 LKR 3,173

-56.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$13.32 LKR 4,369

34.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.36 LKR 446

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.46 LKR 807

15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.31 LKR 102

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.31 LKR 102

296.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.36 LKR 118

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$0.88 LKR 288

175.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.13 LKR 371

24.78%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-29.78%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-36.42%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$27.91 LKR 9,158

128.13%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$3.10 LKR 1,016

314.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$10.96 LKR 3,596

84.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$7.43 LKR 2,438

421.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.44 LKR 1,455

51.80%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$15.53 LKR 5,094

4909.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$120 LKR 39.4K

12055.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.29 LKR 6,657

167.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$9.37 LKR 3,074

171.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

55.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$24.25 LKR 7,955

202.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

443.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

420.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$307 LKR 100.7K

191.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$166 LKR 54.6K

210.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$230 LKR 75.4K

161.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $90.2 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 162% 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 $18.00 in Gampaha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $219 – making Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 106% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $689 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Gampaha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gampaha, where all-in costs run around $459, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Gampaha 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. Gampaha costs $459 versus $947 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.