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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Katunayaka vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 LKR 1,448

$2.10 ฿69.3

110.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.43 LKR 8,685

$19.84 ฿656

33.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 LKR 2,541

$5.79 ฿191

33.51%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 838

$1.83 ฿60.4

39.34%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.78 ฿25.61

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.3

$0.31 ฿10.37

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 739

$2.34 ฿77.2

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 997

$3.70 ฿122

-18.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$2.03 ฿67.1

-22.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 173

$1.60 ฿52.7

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$1.42 ฿46.75

-45.77%

Eggs

$1.61 LKR 530

$2.18 ฿71.9

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 LKR 4,269

$15.91 ฿526

-18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,692

$3.07 ฿102

67.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,352

$9.87 ฿326

-27.46%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 LKR 2,171

$2.63 ฿86.8

151.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 289

$1.10 ฿36.19

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 LKR 1,423

$1.63 ฿53.8

165.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 402

$1.53 ฿50.6

-20.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.24 ฿41.13

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.13 ฿37.37

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 289

$0.74 ฿24.38

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.50 ฿16.48

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,436

$4.28 ฿141

144.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 LKR 4,534

$17.97 ฿594

-23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$1.70 ฿56.1

16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 912

$2.90 ฿95.7

-4.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.23 ฿40.76

-68.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.53 ฿17.66

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$2.40 ฿79.3

-63.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.94%

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

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

41.08%

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

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

54.99%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-15.52%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,404

$13.35 ฿441

-68.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.54 LKR 6,748

$20.83 ฿688

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 LKR 1,434

$6.71 ฿222

-35.02%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.3K

$787 ฿26.0K

-95.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-91.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.33 LKR 6,680

$56.2 ฿1,858

-63.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.91 LKR 5,557

$24.95 ฿824

-32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 LKR 25.8K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 LKR 13.9K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-43.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Katunayaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Katunayaka vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Katunayaka 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Katunayaka, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $769 per month in Katunayaka and $1,426 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 $26.00 in Katunayaka and $20.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $513, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Katunayaka 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. Katunayaka costs $513 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 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.