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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $517 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $844 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Katunayaka 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.03 LKR 1,286

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.50 LKR 8,132

-26.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.20 LKR 2,617

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.76 LKR 880

-30.80%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.69 LKR 221

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.40 LKR 128

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.27 LKR 724

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.43 LKR 1,095

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.75 LKR 558

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.55 LKR 177

194.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.86 LKR 276

37.21%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.19 LKR 698

-8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.32 LKR 4,567

10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.79 LKR 1,526

-37.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.83 LKR 2,497

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.66 LKR 2,443

-65.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.11 LKR 355

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$5.76 LKR 1,838

-70.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.20 LKR 382

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.11 LKR 354

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.40 LKR 447

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.16 LKR 369

-42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.56 LKR 179

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.17 LKR 3,244

-55.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.49 LKR 3,985

45.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.09 LKR 667

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.84 LKR 904

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.42 LKR 133

221.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 LKR 105

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.60 LKR 192

1275.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.20 LKR 383

5.83%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$27.0K LKR 8.6M

-21.66%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.3K LKR 11.0M

-34.52%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

15.95%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.40 LKR 1,403

212.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.89 LKR 4,750

18.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.27 LKR 1,044

76.76%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$36.58 LKR 11.7K

736.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$447 LKR 142.7K

3213.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$27.72 LKR 8,839

96.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.13 LKR 6,100

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.20 LKR 12.2K

81.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $258 – 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 65% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $776 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 $26.00 in Katunayaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $517 in Katunayaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Katunayaka costs $517 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 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.