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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $520 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $856 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,192 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Katunayaka 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.07 LKR 1,359

-51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$24.94 LKR 8,320

-24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.14 LKR 2,714

-4.79%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.77 LKR 923

-30.69%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.70 LKR 233

12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.38 LKR 125

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.37 LKR 791

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.31 LKR 1,106

10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.77 LKR 591

-6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 LKR 187

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.82 LKR 273

45.12%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.15 LKR 717

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.84 LKR 4,617

15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.60 LKR 1,533

-34.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.24 LKR 2,748

31.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.45 LKR 2,485

-62.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 LKR 369

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.85 LKR 1,952

-71.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.20 LKR 401

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.10 LKR 368

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.37 LKR 457

-13.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.20 LKR 402

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.59 LKR 197

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$9.89 LKR 3,301

-53.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.63 LKR 4,214

31.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.08 LKR 695

-12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.83 LKR 942

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.41 LKR 137

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 LKR 109

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.57 LKR 190

1275.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.20 LKR 399

2.50%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

-19.01%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-34.54%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

16.27%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.21 LKR 1,405

224.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.30 LKR 5,103

14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.41 LKR 1,136

69.21%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$36.21 LKR 12.1K

748.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$434 LKR 144.8K

3266.59%

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

$19.17 LKR 6,395

36.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

22.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$38.82 LKR 12.9K

86.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

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 Katunayaka: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $257 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 67% more than Katunayaka, 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 $780 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Katunayaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $520 in Katunayaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Katunayaka costs $520 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 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.