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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $512 in Kegalle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $828 in Kegalle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,143 in Kegalle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Kegalle, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kegalle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kegalle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.43 LKR 1,452

-53.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$23.88 LKR 7,834

-17.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.71 LKR 2,530

-26.72%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.49 LKR 817

-27.31%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.73 LKR 240

-2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.25 LKR 82.0

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.26 LKR 743

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.10 LKR 1,016

17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.67 LKR 549

17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.53 LKR 174

183.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.78 LKR 256

71.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.66 LKR 546

36.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.36 LKR 4,383

21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.85 LKR 1,590

-39.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.36 LKR 2,415

35.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$6.66 LKR 2,185

-61.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.87 LKR 286

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.25 LKR 1,394

-62.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.23 LKR 403

23.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.05 LKR 344

20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.80 LKR 264

33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.88 LKR 290

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.49 LKR 160

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$10.54 LKR 3,458

-60.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$13.80 LKR 4,526

29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.00 LKR 655

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.81 LKR 923

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.42 LKR 136

192.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.35 LKR 115

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$0.93 LKR 306

160.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.31 LKR 431

7.63%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

-28.18%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$42.4K LKR 13.9M

-35.51%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$53.9 LKR 17.7K

18.08%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.17 LKR 1,368

208.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.61 LKR 6,762

-1.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.47 LKR 1,467

50.78%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$38.27 LKR 12.6K

1932.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,203 LKR 394.5K

1114.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.08 LKR 6,588

170.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$16.76 LKR 5,497

51.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$81.1 LKR 26.6K

16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$42.80 LKR 14.0K

71.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Kegalle. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Kegalle – so Kegalle wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 85% more than Kegalle, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $768 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Kegalle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kegalle, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Kegalle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kegalle costs $512 versus $947 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.