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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $522 in Kegalle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $859 in Kegalle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,196 in Kegalle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Kegalle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.08 LKR 1,351

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.56 LKR 8,475

-27.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.19 LKR 2,717

-4.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.62 LKR 868

-25.57%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.69 LKR 230

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.38 LKR 126

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.37 LKR 785

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.31 LKR 1,099

12.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.72 LKR 572

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 LKR 183

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.85 LKR 283

34.12%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.14 LKR 709

-9.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.26 LKR 4,728

13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.57 LKR 1,517

-31.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.89 LKR 2,615

38.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$7.40 LKR 2,453

-62.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.12 LKR 370

8.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$5.63 LKR 1,866

-71.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.26 LKR 416

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.11 LKR 367

26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.36 LKR 451

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.19 LKR 393

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 LKR 198

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$9.87 LKR 3,273

-52.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$12.90 LKR 4,276

44.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.11 LKR 700

-14.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.89 LKR 959

11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.38 LKR 127

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.35 LKR 116

268.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.57 LKR 190

1275.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.20 LKR 397

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-21.50%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

-35.35%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$59.3 LKR 19.7K

16.42%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.25 LKR 1,410

231.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.30 LKR 5,074

17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.42 LKR 1,135

73.10%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$37.49 LKR 12.4K

697.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$441 LKR 146.4K

3287.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$27.53 LKR 9,128

98.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.46 LKR 6,452

37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$68.8 LKR 22.8K

23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$39.26 LKR 13.0K

79.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kegalle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 Kegalle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $783 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Kegalle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $522 in Kegalle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kegalle costs $522 versus $866 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.