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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $575 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $905 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,236 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Piliyandala 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$2.99 LKR 989

-30.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$12.31 LKR 4,070

59.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.69 LKR 2,542

-26.27%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.56 LKR 845

-29.30%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.68 LKR 225

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 82.2

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.84 LKR 607

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.02 LKR 999

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.63 LKR 540

25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.53 LKR 176

184.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.74 LKR 243

89.19%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.65 LKR 546

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$12.97 LKR 4,287

24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.97 LKR 1,644

-41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.43 LKR 2,457

26.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.87 LKR 2,271

-60.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.88 LKR 292

23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.25 LKR 1,406

-61.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.30 LKR 428

12.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.98 LKR 325

30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.76 LKR 252

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.95 LKR 314

-24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.48 LKR 160

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.50 LKR 3,471

-59.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.84 LKR 4,578

32.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$2.00 LKR 661

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.78 LKR 921

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.35 LKR 115

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.38 LKR 127

207.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.29 LKR 95.3

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.89 LKR 294

168.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.34 LKR 443

8.21%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.8K LKR 12.5M

-44.38%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

-35.52%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$54.1 LKR 17.9K

17.63%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.22 LKR 1,397

205.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$20.81 LKR 6,881

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.32 LKR 1,429

52.31%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

1973.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,234 LKR 408.2K

1088.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$19.90 LKR 6,581

176.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.80 LKR 5,556

47.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$81.0 LKR 26.8K

16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$43.20 LKR 14.3K

71.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$106 LKR 34.9K

364.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$76.8 LKR 25.4K

275.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$261 LKR 86.2K

241.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$179 LKR 59.2K

191.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$300 LKR 99.1K

100.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $106 in Piliyandala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Piliyandala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $238 – making Piliyandala 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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 62% more than Piliyandala, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $862 in Piliyandala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piliyandala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piliyandala, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Piliyandala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piliyandala costs $575 versus $932 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.