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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.04 LKR 1,278

-51.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$24.90 LKR 7,882

-25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$8.53 LKR 2,699

-12.08%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.66 LKR 841

-27.44%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.68 LKR 216

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.40 LKR 128

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.30 LKR 728

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.33 LKR 1,054

11.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.70 LKR 539

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.53 LKR 166

194.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.70 LKR 222

68.57%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.14 LKR 676

-7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.53 LKR 2,700

88.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$4.80 LKR 1,519

-33.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$8.25 LKR 2,611

32.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-64.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.11 LKR 350

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-71.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.26 LKR 400

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.15 LKR 364

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.38 LKR 437

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.19 LKR 378

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.52 LKR 164

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-55.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$10.98 LKR 3,475

66.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.04 LKR 645

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.35 LKR 744

35.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.39 LKR 123

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.33 LKR 104

296.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$0.58 LKR 182

1294.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.20 LKR 380

6.67%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-19.52%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-38.44%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

14.00%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$4.38 LKR 1,386

218.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$14.88 LKR 4,710

20.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$10.09 LKR 3,193

319.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$1.65 LKR 522

303.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$3.37 LKR 1,067

75.67%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

699.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$435 LKR 137.7K

3312.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$27.11 LKR 8,580

107.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$19.14 LKR 6,057

40.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

86.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $0 in Kolonnawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $25 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $235 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 67% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $759 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 $18.00 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $506 in Kolonnawa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $845 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.