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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $500 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $830 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,161 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 86% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Polonnaruwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.29 LKR 1,418

-51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.83 LKR 8,542

-24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.83 LKR 2,588

-27.59%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.47 LKR 816

-26.72%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.73 LKR 241

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 82.6

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.19 LKR 724

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.10 LKR 1,024

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.56 LKR 516

31.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.53 LKR 175

184.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.81 LKR 267

72.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.64 LKR 543

37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.05 LKR 4,315

24.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.39 LKR 2,444

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.87 LKR 2,270

-60.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.88 LKR 292

23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.20 LKR 1,389

-61.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.24 LKR 411

17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.01 LKR 335

26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.76 LKR 252

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.93 LKR 308

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.48 LKR 160

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-59.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.76 LKR 4,550

32.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.91 LKR 630

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.83 LKR 937

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.41 LKR 137

185.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.38 LKR 126

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.92 LKR 305

159.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.28 LKR 423

13.28%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

-32.36%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-37.01%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

16.70%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.09 LKR 1,351

215.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.55 LKR 1,505

44.62%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

1933.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

1105.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.29 LKR 6,710

171.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.85 LKR 5,570

46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

77.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

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

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 Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Polonnaruwa – so Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 86% more than Polonnaruwa, 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 $750 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Polonnaruwa 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. Polonnaruwa costs $500 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.