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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $535 per month in Kandy vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Kandy vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Kandy vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kandy is about 37% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kandy and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kandy 60% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 924

$2.03 ฿68.4

35.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.88 LKR 3,992

$18.71 ฿630

-36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 LKR 2,138

$7.84 ฿264

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 885

$1.93 ฿64.9

36.27%

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

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.83 ฿28.00

-27.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.35 ฿11.80

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 716

$2.22 ฿74.8

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,134

$3.79 ฿128

-11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 LKR 473

$1.65 ฿55.4

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.55 ฿52.3

-66.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.18 ฿39.79

-27.12%

Eggs

$2.17 LKR 729

$2.01 ฿67.9

7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 LKR 2,894

$16.16 ฿544

-46.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,524

$3.03 ฿102

49.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 LKR 2,680

$10.84 ฿365

-26.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 LKR 1,507

$2.68 ฿90.3

67.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 327

$1.22 ฿41.14

-20.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 LKR 1,266

$1.63 ฿54.8

131.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 405

$1.53 ฿51.5

-20.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.34 ฿45.10

-13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.21 ฿40.86

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 LKR 262

$0.70 ฿23.63

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.53 ฿17.70

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.28 LKR 3,119

$4.69 ฿158

97.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 LKR 3,854

$17.71 ฿597

-35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$1.85 ฿62.2

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 LKR 921

$3.21 ฿108

-14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 59.6

$0.89 ฿30.01

-79.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.28 LKR 5,136

$18.76 ฿632

-18.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.41 ฿47.40

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.29 ฿43.52

-74.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 LKR 146

$7.79 ฿262

-94.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 421

$1.29 ฿43.59

-3.10%

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

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

$21.8K ฿733.4K

-18.42%

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

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

$21.7K ฿730.7K

-0.13%

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

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

$70.0 ฿2,358

-42.01%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,470

$14.19 ฿478

-69.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.38 LKR 5,170

$17.42 ฿587

-11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,970

$41.64 ฿1,403

-64.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.71 LKR 1,919

$6.89 ฿232

-17.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,150

$5.78 ฿195

-40.83%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

$300 ฿10.1K

-87.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$324 LKR 108.9K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-97.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.66 LKR 9,298

$55.4 ฿1,865

-50.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.38 LKR 4,833

$26.31 ฿886

-45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

$84.8 ฿2,858

-33.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

$70.5 ฿2,375

-57.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 LKR 45.9K

$425 ฿14.3K

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

$235 ฿7,919

-64.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 LKR 73.6K

$802 ฿27.0K

-72.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 54.2K

$516 ฿17.4K

-68.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 LKR 131.9K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-79.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 LKR 134.2K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-72.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 LKR 87.6K

$586 ฿19.8K

-55.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $136 in Kandy versus $425 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.

Salaries run about 125% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Kandy versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $242 – making Kandy 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Kandy, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $803 per month in Kandy and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kandy, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $36.45 per month in Kandy and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $535 in Kandy and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kandy costs $535 versus $847 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 Kandy. 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.