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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $739 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $922 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,105 in Weligama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.06 LKR 1,353

-51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$13.40 LKR 4,470

40.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.01 LKR 2,004

28.95%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.73 LKR 910

-29.67%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.72 LKR 240

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 LKR 134

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.39 LKR 798

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.38 LKR 1,129

8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.68 LKR 561

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.34 LKR 114

379.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.83 LKR 275

43.37%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.15 LKR 716

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.21 LKR 4,740

12.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.56 LKR 1,523

-33.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.26 LKR 2,755

31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.47 LKR 2,490

-63.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.78 LKR 260

51.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.75 LKR 1,916

-71.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.20 LKR 400

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.11 LKR 369

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.46 LKR 153

158.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.15 LKR 384

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.57 LKR 189

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$9.88 LKR 3,294

-53.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.66 LKR 4,225

30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.07 LKR 691

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.87 LKR 958

11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.39 LKR 130

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.36 LKR 119

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.57 LKR 191

1275.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.27 LKR 422

-3.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

-19.97%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.8K LKR 11.6M

-35.17%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

18.57%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.26 LKR 1,089

319.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.36 LKR 5,123

13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.43 LKR 1,143

68.22%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$37.22 LKR 12.4K

725.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$448 LKR 149.4K

3161.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$28.10 LKR 9,373

98.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$19.66 LKR 6,556

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$69.6 LKR 23.2K

23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$39.04 LKR 13.0K

85.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$219 LKR 73.1K

8.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Weligama: June 9, 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $250 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 18% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,109 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 4% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $739 in Weligama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Weligama costs $739 versus $869 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.