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 $493 per month in Galle vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Galle vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in Galle vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Galle is about 42% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 LKR 989

$2.04 ฿68.2

44.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.61 LKR 8,592

$18.71 ฿625

36.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LKR 2,629

$7.86 ฿262

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 910

$2.03 ฿67.7

33.50%

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

$0.74 LKR 247

$0.80 ฿26.66

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.35 ฿11.69

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 777

$2.14 ฿71.6

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 995

$3.67 ฿122

-19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 601

$1.73 ฿57.7

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.57 ฿52.5

-79.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.20 ฿40.03

-31.67%

Eggs

$1.91 LKR 642

$1.97 ฿65.9

-3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 LKR 4,757

$16.23 ฿542

-12.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,555

$3.06 ฿102

51.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 LKR 2,739

$10.80 ฿361

-24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.28 LKR 2,444

$2.77 ฿92.4

162.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 314

$1.17 ฿38.98

-20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,904

$1.71 ฿57.0

231.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 404

$1.59 ฿53.2

-24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$1.39 ฿46.55

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 480

$1.16 ฿38.60

23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$0.66 ฿22.07

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 143

$0.52 ฿17.32

-17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 LKR 3,324

$4.65 ฿155

113.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 LKR 3,055

$17.78 ฿594

-48.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 678

$1.79 ฿59.7

12.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 957

$3.34 ฿112

-14.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 65.3

$0.91 ฿30.30

-79.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.41 ฿47.08

-75.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.34 ฿44.74

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$8.11 ฿271

-92.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.23 ฿41.19

1.63%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

$21.4K ฿715.7K

27.29%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$21.8K ฿728.7K

60.25%

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

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

$71.3 ฿2,382

-14.75%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,443

$14.01 ฿468

-69.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.18 LKR 4,423

$17.93 ฿599

-26.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,116

$5.72 ฿191

-41.78%

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

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

$308 ฿10.3K

-87.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 145.4K

$14.7K ฿490.1K

-97.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.42 LKR 9,200

$55.8 ฿1,862

-50.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.08 LKR 6,402

$26.04 ฿869

-26.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

$84.8 ฿2,832

-17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.65 LKR 13.0K

$71.0 ฿2,370

-45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 LKR 64.4K

$797 ฿26.6K

-75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 LKR 50.0K

$507 ฿16.9K

-70.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 LKR 102.3K

$595 ฿19.9K

-48.78%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 95% 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 $26.00 in Galle versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Galle vs $244 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 73% 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 $739 per month in Galle and $1,279 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 $26.00 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.

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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $493 in Galle and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $493 versus $852 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.