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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $526 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $862 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,198 in Hatton, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Hatton, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Hatton 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.14 LKR 1,373

-53.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.32 LKR 8,397

-26.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.52 LKR 2,827

-8.22%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.72 LKR 902

-28.31%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.74 LKR 247

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.37 LKR 123

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.41 LKR 798

-11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.32 LKR 1,101

12.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.75 LKR 581

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 LKR 184

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.82 LKR 273

39.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.18 LKR 724

-11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.18 LKR 4,702

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.63 LKR 1,535

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.20 LKR 2,720

32.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$7.38 LKR 2,447

-62.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.07 LKR 355

13.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$5.93 LKR 1,967

-72.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.26 LKR 417

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.11 LKR 367

26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.37 LKR 455

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.20 LKR 398

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 LKR 184

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$10.22 LKR 3,387

-54.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$12.77 LKR 4,235

46.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.07 LKR 688

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.96 LKR 981

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.42 LKR 139

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.33 LKR 108

290.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.57 LKR 188

1275.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.26 LKR 416

0.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-20.55%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.1K LKR 11.6M

-36.74%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$60.7 LKR 20.1K

13.85%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.21 LKR 1,396

234.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.85 LKR 4,924

21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.30 LKR 1,093

79.39%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$36.25 LKR 12.0K

724.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$441 LKR 146.2K

3292.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$28.01 LKR 9,288

95.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.32 LKR 6,407

38.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$70.3 LKR 23.3K

20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

84.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hatton: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Hatton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $258 – 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 Hatton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Hatton, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $789 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Hatton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $526 in Hatton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hatton costs $526 versus $866 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.