Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $483 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $784 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,086 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 65% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 LKR 503

$2.08 ฿68.5

-26.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 LKR 8,025

$19.64 ฿646

24.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 LKR 2,547

$5.65 ฿186

37.35%

Cappuccino

$2.40 LKR 788

$1.81 ฿59.3

32.60%

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

$0.68 LKR 222

$0.71 ฿23.44

-4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.0

$0.32 ฿10.38

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 742

$2.24 ฿73.5

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,024

$3.63 ฿119

-14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 LKR 529

$1.96 ฿64.4

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.50 ฿49.38

-62.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 249

$1.34 ฿43.92

-43.28%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 543

$2.26 ฿74.4

-26.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 LKR 4,380

$16.26 ฿534

-17.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 LKR 1,668

$2.95 ฿97.1

72.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,423

$9.94 ฿327

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.91 LKR 2,268

$2.57 ฿84.5

168.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 273

$1.06 ฿34.72

-21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 LKR 1,453

$1.61 ฿53.0

175.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 410

$1.52 ฿49.96

-17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 331

$1.27 ฿41.76

-20.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.07 ฿35.05

-28.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 313

$0.72 ฿23.67

31.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.51 ฿16.72

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,422

$4.19 ฿138

148.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 LKR 4,447

$17.87 ฿587

-24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 625

$1.69 ฿55.7

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 917

$2.84 ฿93.2

-1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 135

$1.23 ฿40.58

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.58 ฿18.96

-36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 291

$2.42 ฿79.7

-63.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 434

$1.41 ฿46.42

-6.38%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

40.39%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

53.67%

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

$53.1 LKR 17.4K

$63.7 ฿2,093

-16.65%

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

$4.18 LKR 1,371

$12.85 ฿423

-67.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 LKR 6,765

$20.22 ฿665

1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 LKR 1,479

$6.74 ฿221

-33.09%

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

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

$778 ฿25.6K

-95.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,218 LKR 399.6K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-91.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.38 LKR 6,688

$54.3 ฿1,785

-62.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.64 LKR 5,458

$25.45 ฿836

-34.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 LKR 26.2K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-15.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.65 LKR 14.0K

$73.4 ฿2,414

-41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 LKR 149.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 LKR 70.0K

$602 ฿19.8K

-64.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 182% 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 $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, 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 $725 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $483 versus $947 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.