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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Galle vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $908 per month in Galle vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,320 per month in Galle vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Galle is about 43% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Galle and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Galle 63% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 LKR 1,012

$1.98 ฿64.3

53.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 LKR 8,451

$18.80 ฿612

34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 LKR 2,685

$7.75 ฿252

3.87%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 885

$1.92 ฿62.5

38.02%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.79 ฿25.79

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.36 ฿11.62

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 763

$2.21 ฿72.1

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 990

$3.66 ฿119

-18.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 596

$1.65 ฿53.8

8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LKR 115

$1.63 ฿53.2

-79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 268

$1.19 ฿38.86

-32.77%

Eggs

$1.99 LKR 663

$2.00 ฿65.1

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 LKR 4,651

$15.98 ฿520

-12.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 LKR 1,576

$3.03 ฿98.5

56.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 LKR 2,694

$10.86 ฿354

-25.60%

Apples (1kg)

$7.53 LKR 2,510

$2.76 ฿90.0

172.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 297

$1.18 ฿38.42

-24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 LKR 1,908

$1.64 ฿53.5

248.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.52 ฿49.51

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$1.38 ฿45.10

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 473

$1.19 ฿38.84

19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 397

$0.70 ฿22.86

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.56 ฿18.13

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 LKR 3,300

$4.58 ฿149

115.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 LKR 3,035

$16.56 ฿539

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 692

$1.83 ฿59.5

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 950

$3.20 ฿104

-10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.1

$0.88 ฿28.56

-80.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.36 ฿44.16

-76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.34 ฿43.65

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 189

$7.84 ฿256

-92.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

22.82%

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

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

57.34%

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

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.42%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,426

$13.68 ฿445

-68.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.33 LKR 4,446

$17.45 ฿568

-23.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,105

$5.77 ฿188

-42.63%

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

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

$307 ฿10.0K

-87.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 149.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-96.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.02 LKR 9,013

$55.8 ฿1,817

-51.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.64 LKR 6,552

$26.21 ฿854

-25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-18.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-47.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 65.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

-75.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 LKR 51.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

-69.95%

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)

$301 LKR 100.3K

$619 ฿20.2K

-51.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

229.00%

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

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 106% 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 $25.00 in Galle versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Galle vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Galle, 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 $743 per month in Galle and $1,303 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 $25.00 in Galle and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $496 in Galle and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $496 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 Galle. 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.