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 $600 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,137 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Hikkaduwa vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hikkaduwa is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hikkaduwa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hikkaduwa 55% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,317

$2.04 ฿68.2

92.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 LKR 8,436

$18.71 ฿624

34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,821

$7.86 ฿262

7.00%

Cappuccino

$2.60 LKR 872

$2.03 ฿67.7

28.08%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.80 ฿26.64

-13.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.35 ฿11.68

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 775

$2.14 ฿71.5

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 LKR 1,120

$3.67 ฿122

-8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 564

$1.73 ฿57.6

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 176

$1.57 ฿52.4

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 294

$1.20 ฿39.99

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 748

$1.97 ฿65.8

13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 LKR 4,741

$16.23 ฿541

-12.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,601

$3.06 ฿102

55.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,691

$10.80 ฿360

-25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 LKR 2,530

$2.77 ฿92.3

172.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.31 LKR 106

$1.17 ฿38.94

-73.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 LKR 881

$1.71 ฿57.0

53.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 344

$1.59 ฿53.2

-35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$1.39 ฿46.51

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.16 ฿38.56

-69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.66 ฿22.05

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.52 ฿17.31

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 LKR 3,408

$4.65 ฿155

118.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 LKR 4,295

$17.78 ฿593

-28.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 704

$1.79 ฿59.6

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 986

$3.34 ฿111

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.91 ฿30.27

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.41 ฿47.04

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

$1.34 ฿44.70

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

$8.11 ฿270

-92.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 424

$1.23 ฿41.16

2.44%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

25.68%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

59.67%

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

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

$71.3 ฿2,379

-14.15%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,466

$14.01 ฿467

-68.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,987

$17.93 ฿598

-17.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 LKR 1,114

$5.72 ฿191

-41.96%

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

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

$308 ฿10.3K

-87.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.3K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-96.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.21 LKR 9,132

$55.8 ฿1,860

-51.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.77 LKR 6,632

$26.04 ฿869

-24.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.63 LKR 13.0K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-45.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$170 LKR 57.1K

$423 ฿14.1K

-59.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.3 LKR 27.6K

$242 ฿8,088

-66.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 LKR 566.5K

$797 ฿26.6K

111.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 LKR 169.4K

$507 ฿16.9K

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $170 in Hikkaduwa versus $423 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 – $237 in Hikkaduwa vs $244 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 42% 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 $900 per month in Hikkaduwa and $1,279 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 $600 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 $600 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.