Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

For one person, living is cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: $707 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
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Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$707

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $707 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $707

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,096 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $1,096

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,485 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte $1,485

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$3.84 LKR 1,271

-40.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$25.15 LKR 8,331

-21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.65 LKR 2,533

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.57 LKR 852

-35.41%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.73 LKR 241

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.25 LKR 81.8

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.22 LKR 735

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.98 LKR 989

24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.27 LKR 421

53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.58 LKR 191

143.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.74 LKR 246

77.03%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.72 LKR 568

26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$13.81 LKR 4,576

20.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.41 LKR 1,462

-37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$5.29 LKR 1,754

72.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$6.21 LKR 2,058

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.84 LKR 279

22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$4.36 LKR 1,445

-62.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.20 LKR 397

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.87 LKR 288

48.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.82 LKR 270

35.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.88 LKR 291

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.46 LKR 151

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$9.15 LKR 3,031

-52.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$12.73 LKR 4,216

41.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.95 LKR 645

-18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.02 LKR 1,001

-5.96%

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

$0.31 LKR 103

290.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.38 LKR 125

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$0.88 LKR 292

167.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.15 LKR 381

25.22%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$43.5K LKR 14.4M

-52.33%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$41.0K LKR 13.6M

-34.61%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$45.62 LKR 15.1K

36.63%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$4.36 LKR 1,445

177.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$12.16 LKR 4,028

63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$14.89 LKR 4,933

148.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$3.08 LKR 1,020

111.04%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$37.61 LKR 12.5K

2007.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$896 LKR 296.9K

1551.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$18.40 LKR 6,093

192.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$16.89 LKR 5,593

45.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$79.3 LKR 26.3K

14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$41.35 LKR 13.7K

72.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$307 LKR 101.7K

48.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$224 LKR 74.1K

33.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$445 LKR 147.4K

104.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$382 LKR 126.4K

45.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$692 LKR 229.3K

178.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$531 LKR 175.9K

171.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$298 LKR 98.8K

98.17%

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$224 31.7% 24.9% $74

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$222 31.4% 5.8% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$70 9.9% 35.1% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$62 8.8% 34.1% $32

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$105 14.9% 34.2% $27

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$2.2 * 0.3% 96.4% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

$21 3% 58% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $307 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 98% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – so Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇰 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

🕒 Local time

20:17 8:17 PM

18:47 6:47 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

115,826 Capital

💱 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 22, 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 22, 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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Between locations

Chiang Mai Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,060 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs $707 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 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.