🙂A single person spends $510 per month in Galle vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $912 per month in Galle vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,314 per month in Galle vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Galle is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both Galle and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Galle62% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04LKR 970
$1.96฿64.0
55.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.04LKR 7,985
$18.81฿615
33.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.03LKR 2,560
$7.92฿259
1.39%
Cappuccino
$2.71LKR 865
$1.91฿62.6
41.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73LKR 234
$0.84฿27.41
-13.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40LKR 128
$0.35฿11.51
14.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.32LKR 739
$2.21฿72.1
4.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96LKR 945
$3.80฿124
-22.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71LKR 545
$1.64฿53.5
4.27%
White Bread(500g)
$0.35LKR 110
$1.62฿53.1
-78.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.87LKR 277
$1.18฿38.62
-26.27%
Eggs
$1.90LKR 605
$2.01฿65.8
-5.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.15LKR 4,512
$15.89฿520
-10.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.80LKR 1,529
$3.01฿98.5
59.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.84LKR 2,501
$10.77฿352
-27.21%
Apples(1kg)
$7.51LKR 2,396
$2.61฿85.5
187.74%
Banana(1kg)
$0.88LKR 282
$1.22฿39.88
-27.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.85LKR 1,864
$1.70฿55.7
244.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.22LKR 389
$1.58฿51.5
-22.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.10LKR 352
$1.32฿43.14
-16.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.38LKR 439
$1.17฿38.23
17.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18LKR 377
$0.67฿21.98
76.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42LKR 136
$0.56฿18.32
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96LKR 3,175
$4.53฿148
119.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.69LKR 3,090
$18.20฿595
-46.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00LKR 637
$1.83฿60.0
9.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90LKR 924
$3.23฿106
-10.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17LKR 54.7
$0.89฿29.00
-80.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.38฿634
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.32LKR 102
$1.35฿44.20
-76.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33LKR 104
$1.35฿44.05
-75.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.57LKR 181
$8.25฿270
-93.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22LKR 389
$1.27฿41.64
-3.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5KLKR 8.5M
$21.2K฿691.8K
25.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3KLKR 11.2M
$22.5K฿735.3K
56.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.5LKR 19.3K
$70.2฿2,294
-13.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.45LKR 1,418
$13.77฿450
-67.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.51LKR 4,308
$17.60฿575
-23.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$41.57฿1,360
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿216
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.27LKR 1,044
$5.78฿189
-43.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$36.53LKR 11.7K
$306฿10.0K
-88.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$441LKR 140.7K
$14.8K฿484.8K
-97.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.53LKR 8,779
$54.4฿1,778
-49.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.42LKR 6,192
$26.14฿855
-25.71%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.5LKR 22.2K
$84.5฿2,764
-17.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.52LKR 12.3K
$69.4฿2,270
-44.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$424฿13.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$238฿7,788
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$197LKR 62.8K
$825฿27.0K
-76.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$148LKR 47.2K
$515฿16.8K
-71.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,049฿67.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,523฿49.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Galle
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$325LKR 103.5K
$635฿20.8K
-48.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.45
5
229.00%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Galle: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Salaries run about 96% 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 $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Galle vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Galle or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 67% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Galle vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $765 per month in Galle and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Galle vs Chiang Mai?
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.
Are groceries more expensive in Galle or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Galle or Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $510 in Galle and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Galle or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $510 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Galle compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Galle or Chiang Mai?
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.