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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $413 in Negombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $674 in Negombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $936 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.93 LKR 1,310

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$18.33 LKR 6,103

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.27 LKR 2,754

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.43 LKR 476

36.36%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.74 LKR 245

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.37 LKR 124

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.06 LKR 687

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.32 LKR 1,105

10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.53 LKR 509

8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.49 LKR 163

218.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.83 LKR 276

43.37%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.21 LKR 736

-9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$14.03 LKR 4,672

15.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$4.81 LKR 1,600

-34.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$5.75 LKR 1,915

88.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.04 LKR 680

29.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$0.71 LKR 238

71.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.49 LKR 829

-33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.26 LKR 421

23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.82 LKR 275

62.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.92 LKR 305

31.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.03 LKR 342

-33.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.61 LKR 202

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$8.86 LKR 2,950

-47.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$12.96 LKR 4,316

31.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.06 LKR 686

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.95 LKR 982

7.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.34 LKR 113

167.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.41 LKR 137

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.33 LKR 111

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$0.60 LKR 201

1256.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.24 LKR 413

3.23%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

-18.12%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-36.01%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$31.15 LKR 10.4K

126.26%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$4.22 LKR 1,404

232.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$14.95 LKR 4,977

18.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$13.60 LKR 4,530

203.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$10.20 LKR 3,398

-33.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$2.45 LKR 815

143.27%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$36.24 LKR 12.1K

735.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$445 LKR 148.3K

3259.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$19.42 LKR 6,468

181.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$19.69 LKR 6,555

33.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$49.36 LKR 16.4K

73.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$27.22 LKR 9,066

156.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$183 LKR 61.1K

239.56%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 240% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Negombo. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Negombo – so Negombo 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 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $619 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 $18.00 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 19% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $413 in Negombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negombo costs $413 versus $848 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.