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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $425 in Negombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $694 in Negombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $963 in Negombo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Negombo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Negombo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.92 LKR 1,249

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$18.09 LKR 5,769

3.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.20 LKR 2,614

-3.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.43 LKR 455

33.57%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.68 LKR 216

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.37 LKR 119

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.95 LKR 623

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.44 LKR 1,097

10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.48 LKR 471

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.48 LKR 152

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.87 LKR 278

35.63%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.21 LKR 705

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.25 LKR 4,543

11.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.54 LKR 1,449

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.68 LKR 1,810

89.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.06 LKR 657

26.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.75 LKR 240

62.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.46 LKR 784

-30.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.19 LKR 381

32.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.85 LKR 272

55.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.89 LKR 284

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.98 LKR 314

-31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.57 LKR 181

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$8.78 LKR 2,800

-48.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.46 LKR 3,973

46.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.10 LKR 671

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.95 LKR 942

9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.32 LKR 101

178.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.38 LKR 123

255.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.30 LKR 97.0

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.61 LKR 196

1252.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.25 LKR 399

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

-22.42%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-36.09%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$30.45 LKR 9,710

130.38%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.30 LKR 1,371

220.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.93 LKR 4,761

17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$13.14 LKR 4,192

216.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$10.09 LKR 3,217

-34.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.37 LKR 757

143.88%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

739.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$442 LKR 141.0K

3253.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$19.03 LKR 6,068

185.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.75 LKR 6,298

32.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$49.01 LKR 15.6K

72.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$26.52 LKR 8,458

161.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$190 LKR 60.7K

233.45%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Negombo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 233% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Negombo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $201 – making Negombo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 100% more than Negombo, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $638 in Negombo. 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 $18.00 in Negombo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $425 in Negombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negombo costs $425 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 Negombo. 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.