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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $519 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $848 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.05 LKR 1,360

-51.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.62 LKR 8,273

-25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.51 LKR 2,859

-12.10%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.73 LKR 917

-26.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.69 LKR 233

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.38 LKR 127

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.40 LKR 807

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.27 LKR 1,098

9.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.78 LKR 599

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.55 LKR 185

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.81 LKR 274

46.91%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.21 LKR 744

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.95 LKR 4,687

16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.59 LKR 1,544

-34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.24 LKR 2,767

32.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$7.42 LKR 2,493

-63.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.08 LKR 362

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.91 LKR 1,987

-71.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.20 LKR 404

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.10 LKR 369

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.41 LKR 475

-14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.20 LKR 402

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.61 LKR 204

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$9.93 LKR 3,338

-53.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.75 LKR 4,283

38.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.00 LKR 673

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.86 LKR 962

15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.41 LKR 139

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.32 LKR 109

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.60 LKR 202

1268.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.21 LKR 408

0.83%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-21.54%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-35.04%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$60.5 LKR 20.3K

16.77%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.43 LKR 1,490

216.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.84 LKR 4,987

17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.28 LKR 1,102

80.49%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$36.53 LKR 12.3K

744.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$441 LKR 148.3K

3272.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.91 LKR 9,378

99.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.21 LKR 6,455

35.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$68.3 LKR 23.0K

21.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$39.22 LKR 13.2K

79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $258 – making Chiang Mai 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Polonnaruwa, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $779 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $519 in Polonnaruwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $519 versus $861 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.