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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $508 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $825 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,142 in Hikkaduwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 84% more than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Hikkaduwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Hikkaduwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.31 LKR 1,426

-51.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$25.74 LKR 8,522

-23.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.54 LKR 2,497

-24.80%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.48 LKR 822

-27.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.72 LKR 240

6.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.27 LKR 89.4

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.24 LKR 742

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.97 LKR 982

27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.63 LKR 541

25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.52 LKR 173

190.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.80 LKR 266

75.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.59 LKR 526

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$13.41 LKR 4,441

20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.97 LKR 1,645

-41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.46 LKR 2,471

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$6.62 LKR 2,191

-59.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.89 LKR 296

22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$4.30 LKR 1,424

-62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.30 LKR 429

12.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.06 LKR 351

20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.80 LKR 265

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.94 LKR 312

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.45 LKR 149

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.57 LKR 3,499

-59.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$13.99 LKR 4,631

30.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.91 LKR 631

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.81 LKR 929

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.42 LKR 138

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.35 LKR 117

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$0.88 LKR 290

171.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.33 LKR 440

9.02%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$30.9K LKR 10.2M

-31.89%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$42.0K LKR 13.9M

-37.10%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

14.36%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.26 LKR 1,411

202.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$21.20 LKR 7,019

-3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.39 LKR 1,455

49.89%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$37.44 LKR 12.4K

1993.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,215 LKR 402.2K

1107.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$20.48 LKR 6,782

169.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$16.57 LKR 5,488

49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$43.00 LKR 14.2K

72.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Hikkaduwa. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $238 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 84% more than Hikkaduwa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $762 in Hikkaduwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Hikkaduwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hikkaduwa, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Hikkaduwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $508 versus $932 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.