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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $512 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $829 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Hatton, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Hatton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hatton 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.39 LKR 1,442

-52.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$24.17 LKR 7,929

-18.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.66 LKR 2,512

-26.24%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.53 LKR 831

-28.46%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.70 LKR 229

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.25 LKR 81.5

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.20 LKR 721

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.11 LKR 1,019

16.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.65 LKR 540

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.53 LKR 173

183.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.79 LKR 259

69.62%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.59 LKR 521

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.04 LKR 4,277

24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.91 LKR 1,611

-39.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.28 LKR 2,388

36.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$6.67 LKR 2,189

-61.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.84 LKR 275

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.47 LKR 1,466

-63.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.25 LKR 409

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.01 LKR 332

25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.74 LKR 244

44.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.96 LKR 316

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.48 LKR 159

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$10.28 LKR 3,373

-59.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$13.91 LKR 4,564

28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.92 LKR 630

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.77 LKR 908

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.39 LKR 127

215.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.37 LKR 122

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$0.94 LKR 309

157.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.31 LKR 431

7.63%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$30.3K LKR 9.9M

-29.12%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-36.03%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$53.3 LKR 17.5K

19.50%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.29 LKR 1,409

199.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.98 LKR 6,883

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.34 LKR 1,423

55.30%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$38.30 LKR 12.6K

1931.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,198 LKR 392.9K

1119.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.38 LKR 6,687

166.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$16.54 LKR 5,427

53.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$78.4 LKR 25.7K

20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$42.93 LKR 14.1K

71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

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

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hatton: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Hatton. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Hatton – so Hatton 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 Hatton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Hatton, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $768 in Hatton. 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 Hatton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 Hatton, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Hatton 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. Hatton costs $512 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 Hatton. 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.