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 $534 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,187 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 60% 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 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$4.12 LKR 1,382

-50.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$25.47 LKR 8,540

-26.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.39 LKR 2,814

-6.32%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$2.65 LKR 890

-23.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$0.68 LKR 229

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.37 LKR 125

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$2.29 LKR 767

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.32 LKR 1,114

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.70 LKR 572

1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.52 LKR 173

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$0.80 LKR 269

50.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$2.14 LKR 718

-7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$14.03 LKR 4,705

15.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.74 LKR 1,588

-35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.87 LKR 2,638

37.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$7.47 LKR 2,504

-62.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.10 LKR 370

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.74 LKR 1,925

-70.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.25 LKR 418

27.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$1.15 LKR 385

20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$1.42 LKR 475

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$1.19 LKR 398

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$0.60 LKR 200

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-53.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$12.74 LKR 4,273

39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$2.03 LKR 682

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.92 LKR 980

14.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$0.39 LKR 130

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$0.36 LKR 119

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$0.57 LKR 191

1322.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$1.26 LKR 423

-2.38%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-20.80%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-37.69%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$60.1 LKR 20.2K

18.65%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$4.25 LKR 1,427

229.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$14.86 LKR 4,983

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.27 LKR 1,096

74.92%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.44 LKR 12.6K

723.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$448 LKR 150.1K

3179.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$27.75 LKR 9,304

100.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$19.66 LKR 6,593

32.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$38.11 LKR 12.8K

86.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: July 26, 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: $244 vs $256 – 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 60% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $801 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 5% 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 $534 in Katunayaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Katunayaka costs $534 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.