Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maharagama and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maharagama and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $131 per month in Maharagama vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maharagama $131
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $246 per month in Maharagama vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maharagama $246
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $361 per month in Maharagama vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maharagama $361
Chiang Mai $1,999

Maharagama is about 86% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Maharagama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maharagama 90% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 LKR 1,761

$2.13 ฿72.0

148.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 LKR 6,733

$18.62 ฿628

8.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 LKR 2,220

$5.60 ฿189

19.11%

Cappuccino

$2.11 LKR 702

$1.66 ฿56.1

27.11%

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

$0.64 LKR 213

$0.65 ฿21.82

-1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 95.3

$0.30 ฿10.29

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 LKR 288

$2.02 ฿68.0

-56.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LKR 76.1

$1.41 ฿47.49

-83.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 LKR 167

$1.39 ฿46.94

-64.03%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 474

$2.37 ฿79.9

-40.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$1.18 ฿39.69

-62.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.17 ฿5.78

170.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

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

$4.55 LKR 1,514

$11.60 ฿391

-60.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 LKR 4,450

$20.30 ฿685

-34.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

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

$727 ฿24.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.9K

$1,058 ฿35.7K

-81.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 79.7K

$595 ฿20.1K

-59.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.5 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Maharagama versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $19 in Maharagama vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Maharagama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:56 3:56 PM

17:26 5:26 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

127,240

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Maharagama Chiang Mai 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 616% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $196 per month in Maharagama and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $131 in Maharagama and $935 in Chiang Mai. That makes Maharagama about 86% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 1169% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $935 in Chiang Mai. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.