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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,120 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Hikkaduwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Hikkaduwa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.93 LKR 1,311

-49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$24.89 LKR 8,302

-24.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.56 LKR 2,855

-9.46%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.64 LKR 879

-27.27%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.72 LKR 242

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.34 LKR 114

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.31 LKR 769

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.31 LKR 1,103

10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.75 LKR 582

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.53 LKR 176

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.81 LKR 270

46.91%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.21 LKR 737

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.05 LKR 4,688

13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.56 LKR 1,522

-33.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.92 LKR 2,641

37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.50 LKR 2,501

-63.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.34 LKR 114

247.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.61 LKR 870

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.98 LKR 327

55.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.11 LKR 371

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.36 LKR 120

230.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.15 LKR 385

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.56 LKR 188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$9.94 LKR 3,314

-53.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.77 LKR 4,259

29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.02 LKR 674

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.84 LKR 949

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.32 LKR 106

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.38 LKR 127

257.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 LKR 109

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.61 LKR 204

1185.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.21 LKR 404

1.65%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

-18.45%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-36.01%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

18.16%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.34 LKR 1,449

215.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.42 LKR 5,144

13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.27 LKR 1,091

76.45%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

737.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$444 LKR 148.3K

3187.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$27.54 LKR 9,185

102.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$19.60 LKR 6,537

33.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

84.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$167 LKR 55.8K

156.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

181.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

-51.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$509 LKR 169.7K

0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $167 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 – $241 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 48% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $881 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 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $587 in Hikkaduwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $587 versus $869 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.