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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $582 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,621 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hikkaduwa is about 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hikkaduwa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hikkaduwa 57% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,287

$1.96 ฿64.0

106.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,024

$18.81 ฿615

33.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 LKR 2,680

$7.92 ฿259

6.06%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 844

$1.91 ฿62.6

38.74%

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

$0.70 LKR 222

$0.84 ฿27.41

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.35 ฿11.51

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 733

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,040

$3.80 ฿124

-14.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 LKR 533

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 177

$1.62 ฿53.1

-66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 257

$1.18 ฿38.62

-31.36%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 702

$2.01 ฿65.8

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 LKR 4,453

$15.89 ฿520

-12.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,502

$3.01 ฿98.5

56.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 LKR 2,534

$10.77 ฿352

-26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 LKR 2,364

$2.61 ฿85.5

183.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.32 LKR 101

$1.22 ฿39.88

-73.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 LKR 880

$1.70 ฿55.7

62.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 325

$1.58 ฿51.5

-35.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$1.32 ฿43.14

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 LKR 115

$1.17 ฿38.23

-69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.67 ฿21.98

76.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 177

$0.56 ฿18.32

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 LKR 3,249

$4.53 ฿148

124.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.31 LKR 3,927

$18.20 ฿595

-32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 670

$1.83 ฿60.0

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 955

$3.23 ฿106

-7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 102

$0.89 ฿29.00

-64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 124

$1.35 ฿44.20

-71.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$1.35 ฿44.05

-75.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 183

$8.25 ฿270

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 401

$1.27 ฿41.64

-0.79%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

24.24%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

51.94%

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

$59.4 LKR 18.9K

$70.2 ฿2,294

-15.32%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,345

$13.77 ฿450

-69.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$17.60 ฿575

-14.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,086

$5.78 ฿189

-41.18%

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

$37.48 LKR 12.0K

$306 ฿10.0K

-87.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 142.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-96.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.91 LKR 8,902

$54.4 ฿1,778

-48.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.04 LKR 6,071

$26.14 ฿855

-27.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 22.2K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 LKR 12.2K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-44.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$170 LKR 54.2K

$424 ฿13.9K

-59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.5 LKR 26.3K

$238 ฿7,788

-65.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 LKR 530.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

101.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 LKR 163.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-0.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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 Hikkaduwa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $170 in Hikkaduwa versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Hikkaduwa vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Hikkaduwa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Hikkaduwa, 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 $874 per month in Hikkaduwa and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hikkaduwa, 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 Hikkaduwa 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 3% 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 $582 in Hikkaduwa and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $582 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 Hikkaduwa. 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.