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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Galle vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $741 per month in Galle vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,029 per month in Galle vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Galle is about 51% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Galle and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Galle 67% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 LKR 510

$2.08 ฿69.3

-25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 LKR 7,891

$19.61 ฿653

21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 LKR 2,473

$5.67 ฿189

31.92%

Cappuccino

$1.77 LKR 586

$1.81 ฿60.1

-2.21%

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

$0.70 LKR 230

$0.77 ฿25.58

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.3

$0.35 ฿11.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 LKR 409

$2.21 ฿73.7

-43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 LKR 494

$3.79 ฿126

-60.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 537

$2.05 ฿68.2

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.51 ฿50.4

-62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.40 ฿46.57

-45.71%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 521

$2.26 ฿75.2

-30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 LKR 4,381

$16.19 ฿539

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,702

$2.90 ฿96.4

77.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,356

$9.42 ฿314

-24.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 LKR 2,179

$2.68 ฿89.2

145.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.09 ฿36.28

-27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 LKR 1,398

$1.62 ฿53.8

161.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 412

$1.46 ฿48.61

-14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 325

$1.28 ฿42.54

-23.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$1.06 ฿35.21

-29.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 312

$0.72 ฿23.88

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.53 ฿17.51

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,424

$4.23 ฿141

144.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 LKR 2,976

$18.29 ฿609

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 631

$1.63 ฿54.3

17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 944

$2.90 ฿96.6

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 49.26

$0.88 ฿29.24

-82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 LKR 94.4

$1.17 ฿39.04

-75.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.5

$0.58 ฿19.25

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$2.39 ฿79.4

-63.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 428

$1.45 ฿48.28

-11.03%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

77.05%

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

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

53.58%

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

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-13.95%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,343

$12.89 ฿429

-68.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.73 LKR 6,855

$20.52 ฿683

1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,455

$6.58 ฿219

-33.13%

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

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 LKR 6,672

$55.1 ฿1,835

-63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.66 LKR 5,508

$24.74 ฿824

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-41.82%

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)

$315 LKR 104.1K

$602 ฿20.0K

-47.64%

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 Galle: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 91% 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 Galle versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Galle vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Galle 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 106% more than Galle, 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 $679 per month in Galle and $1,398 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 Galle 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 6% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Galle, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Galle 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. Galle costs $453 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 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.