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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $528 in Hatton, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Hatton, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Hatton, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Hatton, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Hatton are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hatton 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.92 LKR 1,317

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.67 LKR 8,289

-25.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.53 LKR 2,866

-12.31%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.72 LKR 913

-25.74%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.68 LKR 230

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.40 LKR 136

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.39 LKR 803

-10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.42 LKR 1,151

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.76 LKR 591

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.52 LKR 175

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.83 LKR 278

43.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.22 LKR 748

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.10 LKR 4,740

14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.58 LKR 1,540

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.90 LKR 2,655

38.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$7.42 LKR 2,495

-63.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.07 LKR 361

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.69 LKR 1,911

-70.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.19 LKR 401

34.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.12 LKR 376

23.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.38 LKR 463

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.18 LKR 397

-43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.61 LKR 204

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$10.09 LKR 3,391

-54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.48 LKR 4,193

41.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.07 LKR 694

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.93 LKR 983

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.39 LKR 131

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.35 LKR 118

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.56 LKR 189

1366.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.25 LKR 419

-2.40%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

-21.84%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-35.30%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

19.68%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.26 LKR 1,432

229.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.94 LKR 5,019

17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.33 LKR 1,119

77.78%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$36.54 LKR 12.3K

744.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$448 LKR 150.5K

3222.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$28.10 LKR 9,443

98.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.34 LKR 6,498

35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$70.8 LKR 23.8K

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$38.58 LKR 13.0K

82.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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

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 12, 2026

Last update for Hatton: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Hatton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $255 – 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 63% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $792 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 $18.00 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $528 in Hatton, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hatton costs $528 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 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.