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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $854 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,190 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.92 LKR 1,309

-50.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.40 LKR 8,469

-26.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.32 LKR 2,774

-6.01%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.75 LKR 917

-29.09%

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

$0.41 LKR 136

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.30 LKR 765

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.41 LKR 1,137

9.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.73 LKR 575

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.55 LKR 185

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.85 LKR 284

34.12%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.12 LKR 708

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$14.28 LKR 4,761

13.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.63 LKR 1,545

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.18 LKR 2,728

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$7.34 LKR 2,447

-62.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.06 LKR 354

14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$5.84 LKR 1,948

-72.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.21 LKR 403

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.11 LKR 369

26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.38 LKR 459

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.16 LKR 386

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.56 LKR 186

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$9.90 LKR 3,300

-52.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$12.61 LKR 4,205

47.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.10 LKR 701

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.89 LKR 965

11.76%

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

$0.41 LKR 138

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.35 LKR 117

268.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.61 LKR 204

1185.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.21 LKR 405

4.96%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-21.66%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-37.32%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$60.1 LKR 20.0K

14.91%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.27 LKR 1,424

229.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.36 LKR 5,121

17.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.27 LKR 1,091

81.04%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$37.14 LKR 12.4K

705.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$441 LKR 147.1K

3289.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$27.45 LKR 9,155

99.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$19.29 LKR 6,433

38.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$69.3 LKR 23.1K

22.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$38.28 LKR 12.8K

84.43%

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 Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $257 – 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 67% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $777 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 $19.00 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 4% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $518 in Polonnaruwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $518 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 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.