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 $600 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,137 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,674 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% 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 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.92 LKR 1,317

-47.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$25.14 LKR 8,436

-25.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.41 LKR 2,821

-6.54%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.60 LKR 872

-21.92%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.69 LKR 231

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.34 LKR 115

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.31 LKR 775

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.34 LKR 1,120

9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.68 LKR 564

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.52 LKR 176

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.88 LKR 294

36.36%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.23 LKR 748

-11.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$14.13 LKR 4,741

14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.77 LKR 1,601

-35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.02 LKR 2,691

34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.54 LKR 2,530

-63.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.31 LKR 106

277.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.63 LKR 881

-34.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.03 LKR 344

54.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.12 LKR 374

24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.35 LKR 118

231.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.16 LKR 388

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.55 LKR 186

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.16 LKR 3,408

-54.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.80 LKR 4,295

38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.10 LKR 704

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.94 LKR 986

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.35 LKR 116

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.39 LKR 129

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 LKR 111

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.58 LKR 193

1298.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.26 LKR 424

-2.38%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-20.43%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-37.37%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

16.48%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.37 LKR 1,466

220.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.86 LKR 4,987

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.32 LKR 1,114

72.29%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

730.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$448 LKR 150.3K

3176.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$27.21 LKR 9,132

104.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.77 LKR 6,632

31.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$38.63 LKR 13.0K

83.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$170 LKR 57.1K

148.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$82.3 LKR 27.6K

194.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,688 LKR 566.5K

-52.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$505 LKR 169.4K

0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $237 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 42% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $900 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 $600 in Hikkaduwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $600 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.