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 $528 per month in Hatton vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Hatton vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,179 per month in Hatton vs $1,838 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 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,317

$1.96 ฿65.8

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.67 LKR 8,289

$18.35 ฿617

34.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,866

$7.48 ฿252

14.04%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 913

$2.02 ฿67.8

34.65%

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

$0.68 LKR 230

$0.85 ฿28.50

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.36 ฿11.96

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 803

$2.14 ฿71.8

11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,151

$3.59 ฿121

-4.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 591

$1.65 ฿55.5

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 278

$1.19 ฿40.02

-30.25%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 748

$1.94 ฿65.1

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 LKR 4,740

$16.19 ฿544

-12.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,540

$2.99 ฿101

53.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 LKR 2,655

$10.94 ฿368

-27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 LKR 2,495

$2.71 ฿91.2

173.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 361

$1.17 ฿39.25

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,911

$1.69 ฿56.7

236.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.60 ฿54.0

-25.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 376

$1.38 ฿46.54

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 463

$1.20 ฿40.45

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 397

$0.67 ฿22.50

76.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.56 ฿18.73

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 LKR 3,391

$4.64 ฿156

117.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,193

$17.62 ฿593

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 694

$1.86 ฿62.5

11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 983

$3.30 ฿111

-11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 131

$1.36 ฿45.90

-71.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.34 ฿44.98

-73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 189

$8.21 ฿276

-93.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.22 ฿41.18

2.46%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

27.94%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

54.57%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

$70.7 ฿2,376

-16.44%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,432

$14.04 ฿472

-69.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.94 LKR 5,019

$17.49 ฿588

-14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,119

$5.92 ฿199

-43.75%

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

$36.54 LKR 12.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

-88.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-96.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,443

$55.8 ฿1,875

-49.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.34 LKR 6,498

$26.11 ฿878

-25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 LKR 23.8K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.58 LKR 13.0K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-45.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hatton versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $243 – 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 63% 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 $792 per month in Hatton and $1,292 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 $18.00 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 $528 in Hatton and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hatton costs $528 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 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.