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 $416 in Negombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $685 in Negombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $953 in Negombo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 105% 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 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.08 LKR 1,369

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$18.40 LKR 6,175

1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.43 LKR 2,829

-6.76%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.39 LKR 465

46.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.68 LKR 229

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.38 LKR 126

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.04 LKR 683

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.32 LKR 1,114

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.50 LKR 502

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.52 LKR 175

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.83 LKR 278

44.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.20 LKR 738

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.93 LKR 4,674

16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.63 LKR 1,552

-33.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$5.65 LKR 1,896

91.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.04 LKR 683

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.72 LKR 240

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.55 LKR 855

-32.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.20 LKR 403

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.80 LKR 269

73.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.89 LKR 298

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.02 LKR 343

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.60 LKR 200

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$8.80 LKR 2,953

-47.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.72 LKR 4,269

39.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.04 LKR 684

-12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.92 LKR 980

14.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.31 LKR 105

193.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.41 LKR 139

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.30 LKR 102

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.62 LKR 207

1208.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.22 LKR 408

0.82%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-18.91%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-38.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$30.94 LKR 10.4K

130.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.34 LKR 1,458

222.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.87 LKR 4,991

20.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$13.30 LKR 4,464

206.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$9.97 LKR 3,346

-30.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.39 LKR 803

139.33%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.52 LKR 12.6K

721.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$446 LKR 149.6K

3192.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$19.56 LKR 6,563

185.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.16 LKR 6,429

35.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$48.32 LKR 16.2K

75.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$26.85 LKR 9,008

164.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$181 LKR 60.7K

228.81%

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 Negombo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 229% 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: $244 vs $202 – 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 105% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $624 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 $416 in Negombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negombo costs $416 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.