Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Moratuwa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Moratuwa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Moratuwa $291

Chiang Mai costs about 613% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Moratuwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Moratuwa 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.84 LKR 611

-9.24%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.71 LKR 234

-9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.15 LKR 49.28

106.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.85 LKR 616

27.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$2.46 LKR 816

48.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.25 LKR 417

56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$0.46 LKR 154

213.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$0.82 LKR 272

62.20%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.36 LKR 785

-3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.27 LKR 4,078

34.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$0.46 LKR 154

110.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

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

$12.17 ฿410

$4.44 LKR 1,475

174.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$15.01 LKR 4,989

148.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$3.08 LKR 1,024

22.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$6.05 LKR 2,013

307.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Moratuwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Moratuwa

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

08:03 8:03 AM

06:33 6:33 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

207,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Moratuwa 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Moratuwa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 613% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 86% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 237% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.