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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $504 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $831 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,158 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.53 LKR 1,497

-54.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.97 LKR 8,588

-24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.81 LKR 2,583

-27.40%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.47 LKR 817

-26.72%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.74 LKR 244

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 82.7

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.28 LKR 754

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.12 LKR 1,033

21.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.56 LKR 517

31.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.52 LKR 173

190.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.81 LKR 267

72.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.68 LKR 554

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.22 LKR 4,372

22.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.02 LKR 1,659

-42.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.19 LKR 2,378

31.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.64 LKR 2,194

-59.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.90 LKR 297

21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.31 LKR 1,427

-62.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.27 LKR 422

14.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.02 LKR 336

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.81 LKR 267

30.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.89 LKR 293

-19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.45 LKR 150

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-59.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.99 LKR 4,625

30.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.91 LKR 631

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.83 LKR 935

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.39 LKR 127

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.36 LKR 118

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.88 LKR 292

171.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.34 LKR 443

8.21%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

-31.11%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-38.72%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

13.50%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.22 LKR 1,397

205.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$20.66 LKR 6,832

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.48 LKR 1,482

46.87%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.01 LKR 12.6K

1962.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,202 LKR 397.4K

1120.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$19.74 LKR 6,527

179.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.46 LKR 5,443

50.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$79.6 LKR 26.3K

18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$42.72 LKR 14.1K

73.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Katunayaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Katunayaka – so Katunayaka 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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Katunayaka, 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 $756 in Katunayaka. 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 Katunayaka. 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $504, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Katunayaka 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. Katunayaka costs $504 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 Katunayaka. 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.