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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Hatton vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $862 per month in Hatton vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,198 per month in Hatton vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hatton is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hatton and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hatton 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 LKR 1,373

$1.94 ฿63.5

113.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 LKR 8,397

$18.64 ฿609

35.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 LKR 2,827

$7.82 ฿255

8.95%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 902

$1.95 ฿63.8

39.49%

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

$0.74 LKR 247

$0.85 ฿27.77

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.35 ฿11.58

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 LKR 798

$2.13 ฿69.6

13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,101

$3.73 ฿122

-10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 581

$1.71 ฿56.0

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 184

$1.63 ฿53.2

-65.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$1.14 ฿37.15

-28.07%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 724

$1.93 ฿63.1

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 LKR 4,702

$16.21 ฿530

-12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,535

$3.12 ฿102

48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 LKR 2,720

$10.90 ฿356

-24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 LKR 2,447

$2.75 ฿90.0

168.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 355

$1.21 ฿39.52

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 LKR 1,967

$1.62 ฿53.0

266.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 417

$1.59 ฿51.8

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.40 ฿45.70

-20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 455

$1.17 ฿38.17

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 398

$0.66 ฿21.60

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 184

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.22 LKR 3,387

$4.69 ฿153

117.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,235

$18.66 ฿609

-31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 688

$1.80 ฿58.8

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 981

$3.23 ฿106

-8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 139

$1.41 ฿45.91

-70.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 108

$1.29 ฿42.12

-74.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 188

$7.84 ฿256

-92.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 416

$1.27 ฿41.58

-0.79%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

25.87%

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

$35.1K LKR 11.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

58.09%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.1K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-12.16%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,396

$14.08 ฿460

-70.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.85 LKR 4,924

$18.00 ฿588

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 LKR 1,093

$5.92 ฿193

-44.26%

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

$36.25 LKR 12.0K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.01 LKR 9,288

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.32 LKR 6,407

$26.77 ฿874

-27.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 23.3K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Hatton: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Hatton, 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 $789 per month in Hatton and $1,300 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 $25.00 in Hatton and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $526 in Hatton and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hatton costs $526 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 Hatton. 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.