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 $508 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $825 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,142 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hikkaduwa is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hikkaduwa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hikkaduwa 63% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 LKR 1,426

$2.08 ฿69.5

107.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.74 LKR 8,522

$19.61 ฿655

31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,497

$5.67 ฿189

32.98%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 822

$1.81 ฿60.3

37.02%

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

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.77 ฿25.65

-6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.4

$0.35 ฿11.53

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 742

$2.21 ฿73.9

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 982

$3.79 ฿127

-21.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 541

$2.05 ฿68.4

-20.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.51 ฿50.6

-65.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 266

$1.40 ฿46.69

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.59 LKR 526

$2.26 ฿75.4

-29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 LKR 4,441

$16.19 ฿540

-17.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 LKR 1,645

$2.90 ฿96.7

71.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 LKR 2,471

$9.42 ฿314

-20.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 LKR 2,191

$2.68 ฿89.4

147.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 296

$1.09 ฿36.37

-18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,424

$1.62 ฿54.0

165.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.46 ฿48.74

-10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 351

$1.28 ฿42.65

-17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 265

$1.06 ฿35.31

-24.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 312

$0.72 ฿23.94

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 149

$0.53 ฿17.56

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 LKR 3,499

$4.23 ฿141

149.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 LKR 4,631

$18.29 ฿611

-23.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 631

$1.63 ฿54.4

17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 929

$2.90 ฿96.8

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.17 ฿39.14

-64.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.58 ฿19.30

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$2.39 ฿79.6

-63.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 440

$1.45 ฿48.41

-8.28%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.2M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

46.83%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.9M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

58.99%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

$63.7 ฿2,125

-12.55%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,411

$12.89 ฿430

-66.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.20 LKR 7,019

$20.52 ฿685

3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 LKR 1,455

$6.58 ฿220

-33.28%

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

$37.44 LKR 12.4K

$784 ฿26.2K

-95.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,215 LKR 402.2K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-91.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.48 LKR 6,782

$55.1 ฿1,840

-62.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,488

$24.74 ฿826

-33.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$94.1 ฿3,142

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.00 LKR 14.2K

$74.0 ฿2,469

-41.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Hikkaduwa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Hikkaduwa vs $241 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 84% more than Hikkaduwa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $762 per month in Hikkaduwa and $1,398 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 $26.00 in Hikkaduwa and $20.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hikkaduwa, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Hikkaduwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $508 versus $932 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.