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 $497 per month in Gampaha vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Gampaha vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,247 per month in Gampaha vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gampaha is about 42% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 LKR 577

$1.96 ฿65.8

-12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 LKR 8,569

$18.35 ฿617

38.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 LKR 1,697

$7.48 ฿252

-32.49%

Cappuccino

$2.13 LKR 715

$2.02 ฿67.8

5.45%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.85 ฿28.50

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.36 ฿11.96

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 743

$2.14 ฿71.8

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 552

$3.59 ฿121

-54.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 597

$1.65 ฿55.5

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 176

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.19 ฿40.02

-38.66%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 741

$1.94 ฿65.1

13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,819

$16.19 ฿544

-11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,470

$2.99 ฿101

46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 LKR 2,667

$10.94 ฿368

-27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 LKR 2,226

$2.71 ฿91.2

144.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.17 ฿39.25

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,929

$1.69 ฿56.7

239.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.60 ฿54.0

-21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.38 ฿46.54

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 464

$1.20 ฿40.45

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 LKR 105

$0.67 ฿22.50

-53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 LKR 120

$0.56 ฿18.73

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,407

$4.64 ฿156

118.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,193

$17.62 ฿593

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 LKR 517

$1.86 ฿62.5

-17.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 LKR 889

$3.30 ฿111

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.88 ฿29.68

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.36 ฿45.90

-76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.34 ฿44.98

-73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 195

$8.21 ฿276

-92.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 425

$1.22 ฿41.18

3.28%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

25.92%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

53.99%

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

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

$70.7 ฿2,376

-56.88%

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

$3.31 LKR 1,111

$14.04 ฿472

-76.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.24 LKR 4,112

$17.49 ฿588

-30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.51 LKR 2,861

$42.15 ฿1,417

-79.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,144

$5.92 ฿199

-42.57%

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

$16.81 LKR 5,649

$309 ฿10.4K

-94.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$137 LKR 45.9K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-99.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.31 LKR 9,176

$55.8 ฿1,875

-51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.88 LKR 3,322

$26.11 ฿878

-62.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.60 LKR 8,939

$70.5 ฿2,369

-62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

-77.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

$239 ฿8,035

-73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 LKR 112.1K

$822 ฿27.7K

-59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 LKR 62.4K

$512 ฿17.2K

-63.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 LKR 73.5K

$579 ฿19.5K

-62.22%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.9 in Gampaha versus $432 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 165% 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 Gampaha versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Gampaha vs $243 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 73% 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 $745 per month in Gampaha and $1,292 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 $26.00 in Gampaha and $18.00 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 $497 in Gampaha and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gampaha costs $497 versus $861 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.