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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $520 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $833 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$4.09 LKR 1,370

-50.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$24.71 LKR 8,280

-24.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.12 LKR 2,721

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.76 LKR 923

-26.45%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.68 LKR 228

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.41 LKR 136

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.31 LKR 773

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.43 LKR 1,148

7.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.68 LKR 564

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.53 LKR 176

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.72 LKR 240

66.67%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.11 LKR 706

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$8.26 LKR 2,766

96.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.64 LKR 1,553

-34.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$8.22 LKR 2,753

31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$7.60 LKR 2,548

-63.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.12 LKR 375

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$5.82 LKR 1,949

-70.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.21 LKR 404

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.10 LKR 369

26.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.41 LKR 472

-17.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.16 LKR 388

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.48 LKR 161

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.94 LKR 3,330

-53.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$10.28 LKR 3,443

72.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.96 LKR 657

-8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.33 LKR 781

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.38 LKR 128

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$0.61 LKR 204

1229.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.25 LKR 419

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-19.54%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

-36.18%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

20.61%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$4.25 LKR 1,423

229.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$15.11 LKR 5,062

18.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$10.22 LKR 3,426

299.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$1.70 LKR 571

304.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.37 LKR 1,128

69.73%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

722.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$439 LKR 147.0K

3245.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$27.58 LKR 9,241

102.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$19.31 LKR 6,471

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

21.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

84.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

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 Kolonnawa: July 26, 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $232 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 64% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $780 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 5% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $520 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $520 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 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.