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 $506 per month in Kolonnawa vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,166 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kolonnawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kolonnawa 62% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,278

$1.95 ฿62.8

107.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 LKR 7,882

$18.43 ฿594

35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,699

$7.50 ฿241

13.73%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 841

$1.93 ฿62.3

37.82%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.78 ฿25.08

-12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.32 ฿10.42

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 728

$2.15 ฿69.2

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,054

$3.71 ฿120

-10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 539

$1.71 ฿55.2

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 166

$1.56 ฿50.3

-66.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 LKR 222

$1.18 ฿38.06

-40.68%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 676

$1.98 ฿63.9

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 LKR 2,700

$16.04 ฿517

-46.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,519

$3.17 ฿102

51.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 LKR 2,611

$10.94 ฿353

-24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 LKR 2,335

$2.63 ฿84.7

180.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 350

$1.17 ฿37.61

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,813

$1.65 ฿53.0

247.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 400

$1.54 ฿49.51

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 364

$1.38 ฿44.34

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 437

$1.17 ฿37.54

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 378

$0.66 ฿21.25

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 164

$0.51 ฿16.55

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,241

$4.52 ฿146

126.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 LKR 3,475

$18.32 ฿590

-40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 645

$1.80 ฿57.9

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 LKR 744

$3.18 ฿102

-26.10%

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 123

$1.41 ฿45.50

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.31 ฿42.15

-74.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 182

$8.09 ฿261

-92.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 380

$1.28 ฿41.08

-6.25%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

24.25%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

62.43%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

$69.2 ฿2,230

-12.28%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,386

$13.97 ฿450

-68.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 LKR 4,710

$17.95 ฿578

-17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.09 LKR 3,193

$42.31 ฿1,363

-76.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.65 LKR 522

$6.66 ฿214

-75.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$5.92 ฿191

-43.07%

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

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

$299 ฿9,640

-87.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 137.7K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-97.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 8,580

$56.2 ฿1,810

-51.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 LKR 6,057

$26.94 ฿868

-28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

$71.8 ฿2,314

-46.35%

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 Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 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 67% 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 $759 per month in Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $506 in Kolonnawa and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 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 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.