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 $507 per month in Kolonnawa vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $826 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,144 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 42% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,361

$1.98 ฿64.6

106.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 LKR 8,445

$18.80 ฿615

34.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 LKR 2,761

$7.75 ฿253

6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 918

$1.92 ฿62.7

43.23%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.79 ฿25.87

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.36 ฿11.66

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 767

$2.21 ฿72.3

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,088

$3.66 ฿120

-10.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 573

$1.65 ฿54.0

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.63 ฿53.3

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 247

$1.19 ฿38.99

-37.82%

Eggs

$2.16 LKR 719

$2.00 ฿65.3

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,755

$15.98 ฿522

-48.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,572

$3.03 ฿98.9

55.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 LKR 2,693

$10.86 ฿355

-25.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.32 LKR 2,442

$2.76 ฿90.3

165.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.18 ฿38.55

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 LKR 1,935

$1.64 ฿53.7

253.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 422

$1.52 ฿49.68

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 366

$1.38 ฿45.25

-20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 466

$1.19 ฿38.97

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 383

$0.70 ฿22.94

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.56 ฿18.19

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,310

$4.58 ฿150

116.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.34 LKR 3,447

$16.56 ฿541

-37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.83 ฿59.7

8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 LKR 809

$3.20 ฿105

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.36 ฿44.31

-69.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$1.34 ฿43.80

-73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 200

$7.84 ฿256

-92.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 401

$1.23 ฿40.06

-2.44%

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

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

$21.6K ฿706.7K

24.86%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$22.5K ฿736.8K

56.13%

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

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

$70.5 ฿2,305

-15.10%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,404

$13.68 ฿447

-69.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 LKR 4,964

$17.45 ฿570

-14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.13 LKR 3,379

$41.33 ฿1,351

-75.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.66 LKR 553

$6.96 ฿228

-76.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,129

$5.77 ฿189

-41.42%

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

$37.47 LKR 12.5K

$307 ฿10.0K

-87.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 146.5K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-96.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.75 LKR 9,258

$55.8 ฿1,823

-50.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.76 LKR 6,591

$26.21 ฿856

-24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 LKR 22.7K

$85.8 ฿2,802

-20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.86 LKR 13.0K

$72.2 ฿2,361

-46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,800

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 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 – $231 in Kolonnawa vs $241 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 71% 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 $761 per month in Kolonnawa and $1,303 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 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 $507 in Kolonnawa and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $507 versus $869 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.