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 $549 per month in Kandy vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $862 per month in Kandy vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,175 per month in Kandy vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kandy is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kandy and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kandy 59% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 LKR 877

$1.95 ฿62.8

42.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.69 LKR 3,700

$18.43 ฿594

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 LKR 2,087

$7.50 ฿241

-12.00%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 825

$1.93 ฿62.3

35.23%

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

$0.61 LKR 193

$0.78 ฿25.08

-21.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 LKR 94.5

$0.32 ฿10.42

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 670

$2.15 ฿69.2

-1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$3.71 ฿120

-9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 LKR 458

$1.71 ฿55.2

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 177

$1.56 ฿50.3

-64.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 275

$1.18 ฿38.06

-26.27%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 674

$1.98 ฿63.9

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 LKR 2,832

$16.04 ฿517

-44.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,511

$3.17 ฿102

50.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.12 LKR 2,570

$10.94 ฿353

-25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,467

$2.63 ฿84.7

76.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 324

$1.17 ฿37.61

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,150

$1.65 ฿53.0

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 398

$1.54 ฿49.51

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 362

$1.38 ฿44.34

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 390

$1.17 ฿37.54

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 LKR 245

$0.66 ฿21.25

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 177

$0.51 ฿16.55

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 LKR 2,928

$4.52 ฿146

104.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 LKR 3,814

$18.32 ฿590

-34.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 652

$1.80 ฿57.9

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 858

$3.18 ฿102

-14.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.3

$0.90 ฿28.97

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 LKR 4,810

$19.00 ฿612

-20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 132

$1.41 ฿45.50

-70.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$1.31 ฿42.15

-73.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 LKR 128

$8.09 ฿261

-95.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 384

$1.28 ฿41.08

-5.47%

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

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-16.99%

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

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

-2.52%

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

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

$69.2 ฿2,230

-41.50%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,353

$13.97 ฿450

-69.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,737

$17.95 ฿578

-16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.12 LKR 4,784

$42.31 ฿1,363

-64.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,841

$6.66 ฿214

-12.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,077

$5.92 ฿191

-42.57%

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

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

$299 ฿9,640

-87.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$321 LKR 101.5K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-97.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.83 LKR 8,808

$56.2 ฿1,810

-50.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.44 LKR 4,569

$26.94 ฿868

-46.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-32.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.77 LKR 9,423

$71.8 ฿2,314

-58.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 LKR 41.9K

$435 ฿14.0K

-69.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

$240 ฿7,727

-64.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 LKR 69.8K

$798 ฿25.7K

-72.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 LKR 51.0K

$498 ฿16.1K

-67.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$428 LKR 135.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-78.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$417 LKR 132.0K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-72.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 LKR 87.6K

$628 ฿20.2K

-55.95%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Kandy versus $435 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 127% 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 in Kandy versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $244 – 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 54% 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 $824 per month in Kandy and $1,267 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 $36.64 per month in Kandy and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $549 in Kandy and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kandy costs $549 versus $845 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.