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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $515 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $830 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,144 in Weligama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Weligama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.29 LKR 1,420

-51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.43 LKR 8,408

-22.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.56 LKR 2,501

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.52 LKR 833

-28.17%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.68 LKR 225

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.27 LKR 89.5

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.29 LKR 756

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.06 LKR 1,013

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.62 LKR 537

26.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 LKR 188

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.81 LKR 267

72.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.65 LKR 545

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.04 LKR 4,313

24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.07 LKR 2,337

33.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.81 LKR 2,251

-60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.88 LKR 292

23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.29 LKR 1,417

-62.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.23 LKR 406

18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.99 LKR 327

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.80 LKR 264

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.88 LKR 290

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.49 LKR 162

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.20 LKR 3,374

-58.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.53 LKR 4,473

35.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.97 LKR 652

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.91 LKR 961

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.42 LKR 139

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.35 LKR 115

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.92 LKR 305

159.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.35 LKR 446

7.41%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-43.48%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$40.8K LKR 13.5M

-35.16%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

14.56%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.10 LKR 1,356

214.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.49 LKR 1,484

46.55%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

1955.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

1105.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$19.94 LKR 6,592

176.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.77 LKR 5,544

47.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.7 LKR 26.0K

19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$41.64 LKR 13.8K

77.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Weligama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Weligama. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $237 in Weligama – so Weligama 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 81% more than Weligama, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $773 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Weligama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Weligama, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Weligama 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. Weligama costs $515 versus $932 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.