Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puttalam

For one person, living is cheaper in Puttalam: $61.9 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Puttalam

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$61.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Puttalam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Puttalam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $61.9 in Puttalam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Puttalam $61.9

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $108 in Puttalam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Puttalam $108

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $153 in Puttalam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Puttalam $153

Chiang Mai costs about 1396% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Puttalam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Puttalam 95% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.49 LKR 161

187.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.75 LKR 247

74.67%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.29 LKR 427

68.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.55 LKR 1,175

-22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$7.44 LKR 2,463

22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.77 LKR 256

33.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.35 LKR 115

51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$7.45 LKR 2,469

-42.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Puttalam: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Puttalam

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Puttalam

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Puttalam

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Puttalam

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Puttalam

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Puttalam

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Puttalam

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇰 Puttalam

🕒 Local time

18:38 6:38 PM

17:08 5:08 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

45,400

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Puttalam 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Puttalam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Puttalam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1396% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.8 in Puttalam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $61.9 in Puttalam. That's a gap of about 1396%.

Groceries cost about 281% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puttalam, where all-in costs run around $61.9, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Puttalam 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. Puttalam costs $61.9 versus $925 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 Puttalam. 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.