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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $507 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $826 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,144 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 71% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.6

$4.08 LKR 1,361

-51.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿615

$25.32 LKR 8,445

-25.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿253

$8.28 LKR 2,761

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.7

$2.75 LKR 918

-30.18%

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

$0.79 ฿25.87

$0.69 LKR 231

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.66

$0.38 LKR 126

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.30 LKR 767

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.26 LKR 1,088

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.0

$1.72 LKR 573

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.52 LKR 174

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.99

$0.74 LKR 247

60.81%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.3

$2.16 LKR 719

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿522

$8.26 LKR 2,755

93.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.9

$4.71 LKR 1,572

-35.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿355

$8.07 LKR 2,693

34.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.3

$7.32 LKR 2,442

-62.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.55

$1.07 LKR 358

10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$5.80 LKR 1,935

-71.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.68

$1.26 LKR 422

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.25

$1.10 LKR 366

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$1.40 LKR 466

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.94

$1.15 LKR 383

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.19

$0.52 LKR 172

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿150

$9.92 LKR 3,310

-53.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿541

$10.34 LKR 3,447

60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.7

$1.99 LKR 664

-8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.43 LKR 809

31.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.31

$0.41 LKR 137

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.80

$0.35 LKR 117

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.60 LKR 200

1206.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.06

$1.20 LKR 401

2.50%

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

$21.6K ฿706.7K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

-19.91%

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

$22.5K ฿736.8K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-35.95%

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

$70.5 ฿2,305

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

17.78%

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

$13.68 ฿447

$4.21 LKR 1,404

224.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿570

$14.88 LKR 4,964

17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,351

$10.13 LKR 3,379

308.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$1.66 LKR 553

319.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿189

$3.38 LKR 1,129

70.71%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$37.47 LKR 12.5K

719.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿477.5K

$439 LKR 146.5K

3226.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,823

$27.75 LKR 9,258

101.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿856

$19.76 LKR 6,591

32.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,802

$68.2 LKR 22.7K

25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,361

$38.86 LKR 13.0K

85.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,800

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Kolonnawa – so Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 71% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $761 in Kolonnawa. 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 Kolonnawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $507 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $507 versus $869 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 Kolonnawa. 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.