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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Katunayaka vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $863 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Katunayaka and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 61% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,244

$1.95 ฿62.8

101.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 LKR 7,987

$18.43 ฿594

36.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,644

$7.50 ฿241

11.33%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 872

$1.93 ฿62.3

42.49%

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

$0.67 LKR 214

$0.78 ฿25.08

-14.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 129

$0.32 ฿10.42

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 LKR 759

$2.15 ฿69.2

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,044

$3.71 ฿120

-11.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 540

$1.71 ฿55.2

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 166

$1.56 ฿50.3

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 276

$1.18 ฿38.06

-26.27%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 706

$1.98 ฿63.9

12.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 LKR 4,536

$16.04 ฿517

-10.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,455

$3.17 ฿102

45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,496

$10.94 ฿353

-27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,333

$2.63 ฿84.7

180.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 341

$1.17 ฿37.61

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,814

$1.65 ฿53.0

247.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 394

$1.54 ฿49.51

-18.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 347

$1.38 ฿44.34

-20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 434

$1.17 ฿37.54

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 375

$0.66 ฿21.25

78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 189

$0.51 ฿16.55

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,164

$4.52 ฿146

121.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 3,992

$18.32 ฿590

-31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 655

$1.80 ฿57.9

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 901

$3.18 ฿102

-10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 122

$1.41 ฿45.50

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$1.31 ฿42.15

-73.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$8.09 ฿261

-92.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 401

$1.28 ฿41.08

-0.78%

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

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

27.34%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.1M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

61.29%

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

$60.4 LKR 19.1K

$69.2 ฿2,230

-12.66%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,383

$13.97 ฿450

-68.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.06 LKR 4,768

$17.95 ฿578

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,070

$5.92 ฿191

-42.91%

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

$36.84 LKR 11.7K

$299 ฿9,640

-87.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 140.5K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-97.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.40 LKR 8,672

$56.2 ฿1,810

-51.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,163

$26.94 ฿868

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 LKR 21.6K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-19.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.92 LKR 12.3K

$71.8 ฿2,314

-45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿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 Katunayaka: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Katunayaka 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Katunayaka versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Katunayaka, 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 $787 per month in Katunayaka and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Katunayaka and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $524 in Katunayaka and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Katunayaka costs $524 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 Katunayaka. 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.