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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $582 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,102 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,621 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Hikkaduwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hikkaduwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.04 LKR 1,287

-51.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.16 LKR 8,024

-25.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.40 LKR 2,680

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.65 LKR 844

-27.92%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.70 LKR 222

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.32 LKR 101

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.30 LKR 733

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.26 LKR 1,040

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.67 LKR 533

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.55 LKR 177

194.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.81 LKR 257

45.68%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.20 LKR 702

-8.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.96 LKR 4,453

13.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.71 LKR 1,502

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.95 LKR 2,534

35.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.41 LKR 2,364

-64.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.32 LKR 101

281.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.76 LKR 880

-38.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.02 LKR 325

54.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.11 LKR 355

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.36 LKR 115

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.18 LKR 377

-43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.55 LKR 177

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.19 LKR 3,249

-55.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.31 LKR 3,927

47.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.10 LKR 670

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.99 LKR 955

8.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.32 LKR 102

178.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.39 LKR 124

246.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 LKR 105

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.57 LKR 183

1347.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.26 LKR 401

0.79%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

-19.51%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-34.18%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$59.4 LKR 18.9K

18.10%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.22 LKR 1,345

226.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.01 LKR 4,788

17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.40 LKR 1,086

70.00%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$37.48 LKR 12.0K

716.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$448 LKR 142.9K

3208.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$27.91 LKR 8,902

94.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.04 LKR 6,071

37.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$69.8 LKR 22.2K

21.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.27 LKR 12.2K

81.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$170 LKR 54.2K

149.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$82.5 LKR 26.3K

188.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$1,663 LKR 530.2K

-50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$512 LKR 163.2K

0.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $170 in Hikkaduwa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Hikkaduwa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Hikkaduwa – so Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Hikkaduwa, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $874 in Hikkaduwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hikkaduwa, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Hikkaduwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $582 in Hikkaduwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $582 versus $852 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 Hikkaduwa. 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.