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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $513 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $814 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,115 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.25 LKR 1,085

-40.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$13.50 LKR 4,501

38.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.31 LKR 2,771

-5.90%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.74 LKR 915

-28.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.74 LKR 247

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.38 LKR 126

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.99 LKR 663

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.41 LKR 1,138

9.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.73 LKR 577

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.55 LKR 185

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.81 LKR 272

40.74%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.13 LKR 711

-9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.33 LKR 4,781

13.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.63 LKR 1,543

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.15 LKR 2,718

33.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$7.37 LKR 2,457

-62.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.06 LKR 355

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$5.96 LKR 1,987

-72.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.21 LKR 402

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.15 LKR 383

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.36 LKR 452

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.15 LKR 383

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.55 LKR 184

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$10.03 LKR 3,344

-53.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$12.98 LKR 4,328

43.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.06 LKR 687

-12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.85 LKR 949

13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.39 LKR 130

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.35 LKR 118

268.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.58 LKR 193

1251.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.21 LKR 402

4.96%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-20.85%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-37.20%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

13.79%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.40 LKR 1,467

220.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.36 LKR 5,122

17.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.36 LKR 1,122

76.19%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$36.89 LKR 12.3K

710.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$441 LKR 146.9K

3293.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$28.00 LKR 9,338

95.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$19.27 LKR 6,428

38.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$69.7 LKR 23.2K

21.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$37.97 LKR 12.7K

85.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $258 in Piliyandala – so Chiang Mai 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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Piliyandala, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $770 in Piliyandala. 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 $13.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $513 in Piliyandala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piliyandala costs $513 versus $866 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 Piliyandala. 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.