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 $516 per month in Kandy vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $736 per month in Kandy vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $956 per month in Kandy vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kandy is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kandy and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kandy 63% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 904

$2.10 ฿69.3

30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.92 LKR 4,246

$19.84 ฿656

-34.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 LKR 1,964

$5.79 ฿191

3.28%

Cappuccino

$1.99 LKR 654

$1.83 ฿60.4

8.74%

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

$0.51 LKR 167

$0.78 ฿25.61

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 85.5

$0.31 ฿10.37

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 612

$2.34 ฿77.2

-20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 937

$3.70 ฿122

-22.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 383

$2.03 ฿67.1

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$1.60 ฿52.7

-69.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 258

$1.42 ฿46.75

-45.07%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 527

$2.18 ฿71.9

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 LKR 1,721

$15.91 ฿526

-67.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,412

$3.07 ฿102

40.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,265

$9.87 ฿326

-30.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LKR 1,012

$2.63 ฿86.8

17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.10 ฿36.19

-19.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 LKR 564

$1.63 ฿53.8

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$1.53 ฿50.6

-16.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.24 ฿41.13

-20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$1.13 ฿37.37

-28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.74 ฿24.38

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.50 ฿16.48

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 LKR 2,548

$4.28 ฿141

81.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 LKR 3,788

$17.97 ฿594

-35.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 654

$1.70 ฿56.1

17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 669

$2.90 ฿95.7

-29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.94 ฿31.13

-82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 LKR 1,538

$55.3 ฿1,827

-91.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.23 ฿40.76

-65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.53 ฿17.66

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$2.40 ฿79.3

-80.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 LKR 368

$1.44 ฿47.55

-22.22%

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

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-33.24%

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

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

37.46%

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

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-15.19%

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

$4.11 LKR 1,351

$13.35 ฿441

-69.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 LKR 4,164

$20.83 ฿688

-39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 LKR 3,620

$40.42 ฿1,336

-72.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 LKR 2,193

$3.95 ฿131

69.11%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 LKR 950

$6.71 ฿222

-56.93%

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

$21.41 LKR 7,036

$787 ฿26.0K

-97.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$305 LKR 100.3K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 LKR 6,671

$56.2 ฿1,858

-63.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.30 LKR 3,386

$24.95 ฿824

-58.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-25.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.80 LKR 8,805

$75.1 ฿2,482

-64.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 57.0K

$484 ฿16.0K

-64.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.1K

$287 ฿9,491

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 LKR 58.2K

$910 ฿30.1K

-80.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-81.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$414 LKR 135.9K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-79.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 LKR 133.5K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-72.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LKR 86.5K

$605 ฿20.0K

-56.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

115.44%

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

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Kandy versus $484 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 130% 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 $13.00 in Kandy versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 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 84% more than Kandy, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $774 per month in Kandy and $1,426 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 $21.41 per month in Kandy and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 Kandy, where all-in costs run around $516, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kandy 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. Kandy costs $516 versus $950 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.