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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $483 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $805 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,128 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 97% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kolonnawa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.46 LKR 1,464

-52.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$25.94 LKR 8,523

-23.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.51 LKR 2,468

-22.90%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.56 LKR 841

-28.52%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.73 LKR 241

6.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.25 LKR 81.9

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.20 LKR 723

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.14 LKR 1,032

17.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.65 LKR 541

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.56 LKR 184

185.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.59 LKR 193

140.68%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.67 LKR 550

30.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.52 LKR 3,456

51.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.50 LKR 1,478

-31.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.12 LKR 2,340

38.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$7.00 LKR 2,299

-62.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.89 LKR 291

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-62.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.24 LKR 407

23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.02 LKR 334

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.76 LKR 251

48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.88 LKR 290

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.44 LKR 145

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$10.55 LKR 3,467

-59.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$10.57 LKR 3,472

70.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.78 LKR 586

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.25 LKR 738

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.15 LKR 50.2

526.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.42 LKR 137

192.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.36 LKR 118

47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$0.87 LKR 287

175.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.35 LKR 443

6.67%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-29.36%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-34.88%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

18.12%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$4.24 LKR 1,394

214.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$21.30 LKR 7,000

-2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.49 LKR 1,475

49.44%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

1990.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

1128.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$19.88 LKR 6,533

182.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$16.84 LKR 5,533

48.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

15.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

78.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kolonnawa. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 97% more than Kolonnawa, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $724 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Kolonnawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kolonnawa 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. Kolonnawa costs $483 versus $950 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.