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 $587 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,120 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,855 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 56% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,311

$1.98 ฿64.3

98.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 LKR 8,302

$18.80 ฿612

32.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 LKR 2,855

$7.75 ฿252

10.45%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 879

$1.92 ฿62.5

37.50%

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

$0.72 LKR 242

$0.79 ฿25.79

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.36 ฿11.62

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 769

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,103

$3.66 ฿119

-9.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 582

$1.65 ฿53.8

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.63 ฿53.2

-67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$1.19 ฿38.86

-31.93%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 737

$2.00 ฿65.1

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 LKR 4,688

$15.98 ฿520

-12.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,522

$3.03 ฿98.5

50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 LKR 2,641

$10.86 ฿354

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 LKR 2,501

$2.76 ฿90.0

171.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 LKR 114

$1.18 ฿38.42

-71.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 LKR 870

$1.64 ฿53.5

59.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 327

$1.52 ฿49.51

-35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$1.38 ฿45.10

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 LKR 120

$1.19 ฿38.84

-69.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 385

$0.70 ฿22.86

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.56 ฿18.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,314

$4.58 ฿149

117.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,259

$16.56 ฿539

-22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 674

$1.83 ฿59.5

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 949

$3.20 ฿104

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.88 ฿28.56

-63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.36 ฿44.16

-72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$1.34 ฿43.65

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$7.84 ฿256

-92.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.23 ฿39.92

-1.63%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

22.63%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

56.26%

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

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.37%

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

$4.34 LKR 1,449

$13.68 ฿445

-68.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.42 LKR 5,144

$17.45 ฿568

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,091

$5.77 ฿188

-43.33%

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

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

$307 ฿10.0K

-88.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-96.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 LKR 9,185

$55.8 ฿1,817

-50.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.60 LKR 6,537

$26.21 ฿854

-25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-19.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-45.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 LKR 55.8K

$430 ฿14.0K

-61.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

$239 ฿7,774

-64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

106.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 LKR 169.7K

$511 ฿16.6K

-0.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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 Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Hikkaduwa versus $430 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 $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 48% 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 $881 per month in Hikkaduwa and $1,303 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 2% 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 $587 in Hikkaduwa and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hikkaduwa costs $587 versus $869 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.