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 $483 per month in Kolonnawa vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $805 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kolonnawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kolonnawa 65% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 LKR 1,464

$2.10 ฿69.3

112.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.94 LKR 8,523

$19.84 ฿656

30.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,468

$5.79 ฿191

29.71%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 841

$1.83 ฿60.4

39.89%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.78 ฿25.61

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.9

$0.31 ฿10.37

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 723

$2.34 ฿77.2

-5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 LKR 1,032

$3.70 ฿122

-15.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 LKR 541

$2.03 ฿67.1

-18.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 184

$1.60 ฿52.7

-65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 LKR 193

$1.42 ฿46.75

-58.45%

Eggs

$1.67 LKR 550

$2.18 ฿71.9

-23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 LKR 3,456

$15.91 ฿526

-33.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 LKR 1,478

$3.07 ฿102

46.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,340

$9.87 ฿326

-27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 LKR 2,299

$2.63 ฿86.8

166.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 291

$1.10 ฿36.19

-19.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 LKR 1,436

$1.63 ฿53.8

168.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 407

$1.53 ฿50.6

-18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 334

$1.24 ฿41.13

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.13 ฿37.37

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.74 ฿24.38

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 LKR 145

$0.50 ฿16.48

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 LKR 3,467

$4.28 ฿141

146.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 LKR 3,472

$17.97 ฿594

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 LKR 586

$1.70 ฿56.1

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 LKR 738

$2.90 ฿95.7

-22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 50.2

$0.94 ฿31.13

-84.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$1.23 ฿40.76

-65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$0.53 ฿17.66

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LKR 287

$2.40 ฿79.3

-63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 443

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.25%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

41.56%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

53.57%

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

$55.0 LKR 18.1K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-15.34%

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

$4.24 LKR 1,394

$13.35 ฿441

-68.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 LKR 7,000

$20.83 ฿688

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,475

$6.71 ฿222

-33.08%

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

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

$787 ฿26.0K

-95.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-91.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.88 LKR 6,533

$56.2 ฿1,858

-64.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.84 LKR 5,533

$24.95 ฿824

-32.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.3K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.07 LKR 13.8K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-44.00%

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 Kolonnawa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kolonnawa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Kolonnawa vs $242 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 97% more than Kolonnawa, 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 $724 per month in Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa 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 11% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kolonnawa 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. Kolonnawa costs $483 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 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.