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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $527 in Kegalle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $862 in Kegalle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,196 in Kegalle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Kegalle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.95 LKR 1,328

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.37 LKR 8,526

-27.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.62 LKR 2,896

-13.23%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.76 LKR 928

-26.81%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.70 LKR 235

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.37 LKR 125

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.39 LKR 802

-10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.38 LKR 1,136

6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.79 LKR 602

-7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.55 LKR 186

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.87 LKR 292

36.78%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.22 LKR 746

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.33 LKR 4,815

12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.58 LKR 1,540

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.17 LKR 2,745

33.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$7.51 LKR 2,525

-63.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.11 LKR 374

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.68 LKR 1,910

-70.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.20 LKR 404

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.15 LKR 387

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.42 LKR 478

-15.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.20 LKR 402

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.60 LKR 201

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$10.22 LKR 3,435

-54.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.41 LKR 4,171

41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.03 LKR 683

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.98 LKR 1,002

10.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.38 LKR 129

257.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.35 LKR 118

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.61 LKR 207

1245.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.21 LKR 407

0.83%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-20.61%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.3K LKR 11.9M

-36.25%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$59.9 LKR 20.1K

17.98%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.23 LKR 1,422

231.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.94 LKR 5,021

17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.29 LKR 1,104

79.94%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$37.10 LKR 12.5K

731.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$447 LKR 150.3K

3227.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.49 LKR 9,237

102.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.74 LKR 6,632

32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$68.7 LKR 23.1K

20.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$39.27 LKR 13.2K

79.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kegalle. 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 Kegalle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Kegalle, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $791 in Kegalle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Kegalle. 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $527 in Kegalle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kegalle costs $527 versus $861 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 Kegalle. 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.