Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,588 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.00 LKR 1,345

-51.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.03 LKR 8,411

-26.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.14 LKR 2,737

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.71 LKR 910

-25.46%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.74 LKR 250

14.86%

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

$2.41 LKR 809

-11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.39 LKR 1,138

5.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.49 LKR 499

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.53 LKR 177

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.86 LKR 289

38.37%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.11 LKR 709

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.41 LKR 3,497

55.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.58 LKR 1,540

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.87 LKR 1,972

86.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$6.42 LKR 2,156

-57.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.11 LKR 373

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.80 LKR 1,950

-70.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.19 LKR 401

34.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.95 LKR 319

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.91 LKR 304

31.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.19 LKR 400

-43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.53 LKR 178

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.59 LKR 2,886

-45.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.53 LKR 4,212

40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.52 LKR 512

22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.79 LKR 601

84.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.34 LKR 115

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.23 LKR 3,439

89.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 LKR 106

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.32 LKR 109

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.47 LKR 157

1646.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.21 LKR 406

0.83%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

-19.97%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-34.78%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

134.63%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.42 LKR 1,486

217.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.96 LKR 5,028

16.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$20.63 LKR 6,933

104.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.33 LKR 1,120

77.78%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

727.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$436 LKR 146.5K

3312.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.06 LKR 9,093

106.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.44 LKR 6,533

34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

83.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$341 LKR 114.6K

26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$254 LKR 85.4K

-5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$501 LKR 168.3K

64.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$424 LKR 142.5K

20.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$671 LKR 225.5K

185.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$512 LKR 172.1K

186.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$303 LKR 101.8K

91.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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 91% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – so Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,132 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $37.30 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs $754 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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.