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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $495 per month in Gampaha vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $868 per month in Gampaha vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,241 per month in Gampaha vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gampaha is about 43% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.63 LKR 539

$1.94 ฿63.5

-15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,374

$18.64 ฿609

35.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 LKR 1,683

$7.82 ฿255

-35.04%

Cappuccino

$2.22 LKR 735

$1.95 ฿63.8

13.85%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$0.85 ฿27.77

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.35 ฿11.58

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 706

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$3.73 ฿122

-56.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.14 ฿37.15

-35.96%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 733

$1.93 ฿63.1

14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,724

$16.21 ฿530

-12.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,478

$3.12 ฿102

42.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,631

$10.90 ฿356

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 LKR 2,254

$2.75 ฿90.0

147.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.21 ฿39.52

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,881

$1.62 ฿53.0

250.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$1.59 ฿51.8

-21.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.40 ฿45.70

-23.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 LKR 445

$1.17 ฿38.17

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.66 ฿21.60

-46.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.53 ฿17.22

-28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,314

$4.69 ฿153

113.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 LKR 4,332

$18.66 ฿609

-30.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 LKR 508

$1.80 ฿58.8

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 LKR 883

$3.23 ฿106

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.90 ฿29.26

-65.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.41 ฿45.91

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 107

$1.29 ฿42.12

-75.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$7.84 ฿256

-92.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.21%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

54.20%

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

$29.59 LKR 9,812

$69.1 ฿2,256

-57.16%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$14.08 ฿460

-75.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 LKR 4,087

$18.00 ฿588

-31.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.60 LKR 2,850

$41.06 ฿1,341

-79.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,124

$5.92 ฿193

-42.74%

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

$16.54 LKR 5,484

$299 ฿9,766

-94.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$136 LKR 45.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-99.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,317

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.08 LKR 3,343

$26.77 ฿874

-62.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-20.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.03 LKR 8,963

$70.6 ฿2,306

-61.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-76.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

$237 ฿7,752

-74.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 113.1K

$801 ฿26.2K

-57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 LKR 61.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

-63.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 LKR 74.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

-63.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100.00%

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

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.5 in Gampaha versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 176% 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 Gampaha versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Gampaha vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Gampaha 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Gampaha, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 Gampaha and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gampaha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Gampaha 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $495 in Gampaha and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gampaha costs $495 versus $866 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 Gampaha. 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.