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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Kolonnawa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $833 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,147 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kolonnawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kolonnawa 61% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 LKR 1,370

$2.04 ฿68.4

100.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.71 LKR 8,280

$18.71 ฿626

32.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,721

$7.86 ฿263

3.31%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 923

$2.03 ฿67.9

35.96%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$0.80 ฿26.71

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.35 ฿11.71

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 773

$2.14 ฿71.7

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,148

$3.67 ฿123

-6.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 564

$1.73 ฿57.8

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.57 ฿52.5

-66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$1.20 ฿40.10

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 706

$1.97 ฿66.0

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,766

$16.23 ฿543

-49.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,553

$3.06 ฿102

51.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 LKR 2,753

$10.80 ฿361

-23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 LKR 2,548

$2.77 ฿92.6

174.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 375

$1.17 ฿39.05

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 LKR 1,949

$1.71 ฿57.1

240.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.59 ฿53.3

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 369

$1.39 ฿46.63

-20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 472

$1.16 ฿38.67

21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.66 ฿22.11

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 161

$0.52 ฿17.35

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,330

$4.65 ฿155

113.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 LKR 3,443

$17.78 ฿595

-42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 657

$1.79 ฿59.8

9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 LKR 781

$3.34 ฿112

-30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$1.41 ฿47.17

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.34 ฿44.82

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$8.11 ฿271

-92.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 419

$1.23 ฿41.27

1.63%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

24.28%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.5M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

56.69%

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

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

$71.3 ฿2,386

-17.09%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,423

$14.01 ฿469

-69.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.11 LKR 5,062

$17.93 ฿600

-15.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,426

$40.82 ฿1,365

-74.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.70 LKR 571

$6.88 ฿230

-75.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,128

$5.72 ฿191

-41.08%

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

$37.46 LKR 12.6K

$308 ฿10.3K

-87.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.0K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-97.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 LKR 9,241

$55.8 ฿1,865

-50.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,471

$26.04 ฿871

-25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 LKR 23.3K

$84.8 ฿2,837

-17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$71.0 ฿2,375

-45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Kolonnawa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kolonnawa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Kolonnawa vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Kolonnawa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Kolonnawa, 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 $780 per month in Kolonnawa and $1,279 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 Kolonnawa and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $520 in Kolonnawa and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $520 versus $852 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 Kolonnawa. 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.