Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Weligama Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Weligama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $911 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,106 in Weligama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Weligama 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.92 LKR 1,315

-47.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$13.33 LKR 4,474

40.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.77 LKR 1,937

36.22%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.64 LKR 884

-23.11%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.74 LKR 248

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 LKR 126

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.37 LKR 796

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.38 LKR 1,133

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.68 LKR 564

2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.32 LKR 106

390.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.85 LKR 285

41.18%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.11 LKR 707

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.92 LKR 4,671

16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.54 LKR 1,523

-32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.22 LKR 2,759

31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.43 LKR 2,493

-62.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.75 LKR 252

56.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.73 LKR 1,922

-70.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.26 LKR 421

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.11 LKR 374

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.48 LKR 162

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.20 LKR 401

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.56 LKR 189

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.25 LKR 3,439

-54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.54 LKR 4,206

41.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.00 LKR 670

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.97 LKR 996

12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.39 LKR 131

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.36 LKR 119

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.58 LKR 193

1298.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.24 LKR 417

-0.81%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-19.31%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

-37.13%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

16.70%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.27 LKR 1,099

328.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.27 LKR 5,123

17.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.40 LKR 1,141

68.24%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.18 LKR 12.5K

729.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$436 LKR 146.3K

3267.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$27.89 LKR 9,360

99.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.45 LKR 6,527

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

21.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$39.23 LKR 13.2K

80.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$220 LKR 74.0K

10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Weligama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Weligama. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $249 in Weligama – so Chiang Mai 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 Weligama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Weligama, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,074 in Weligama. 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 $13.00 in Weligama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $716 in Weligama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Weligama costs $716 versus $852 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 Weligama. 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.