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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $463 per month in Maharagama vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $786 per month in Maharagama vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Maharagama vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maharagama is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maharagama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maharagama 65% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 LKR 614

$1.71 ฿56.0

8.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.14 ฿37.15

-30.70%

Eggs

$2.04 LKR 677

$1.93 ฿63.1

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 LKR 5,268

$16.21 ฿530

-1.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 LKR 1,906

$3.12 ฿102

84.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 LKR 3,660

$10.90 ฿356

1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$11.82 LKR 3,918

$2.75 ฿90.0

329.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 395

$1.21 ฿39.52

-1.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.07 LKR 3,338

$1.62 ฿53.0

521.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 LKR 599

$1.59 ฿51.8

13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.40 ฿45.70

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 399

$1.17 ฿38.17

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 LKR 522

$0.66 ฿21.60

137.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 LKR 192

$0.53 ฿17.22

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 LKR 3,192

$4.69 ฿153

105.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 672

$1.80 ฿58.8

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 LKR 1,024

$3.23 ฿106

-4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.39 LKR 1,126

$19.21 ฿628

-82.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 105

$1.41 ฿45.91

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 94.6

$1.29 ฿42.12

-77.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 LKR 469

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$53.4 LKR 17.7K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-22.73%

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

$3.43 LKR 1,137

$14.08 ฿460

-75.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.48 LKR 4,139

$18.00 ฿588

-30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.51 LKR 4,481

$41.06 ฿1,341

-67.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 LKR 1,681

$5.92 ฿193

-14.36%

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

$67.5 LKR 22.4K

$299 ฿9,766

-77.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$512 LKR 169.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-96.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.25 LKR 8,373

$54.7 ฿1,787

-53.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.32 LKR 4,415

$26.77 ฿874

-50.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 LKR 18.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-35.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 LKR 19.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 LKR 55.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-79.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

-77.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

240.00%

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

Last update for Maharagama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

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 87% more than Maharagama, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $694 per month in Maharagama and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 467% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $463 in Maharagama and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $463 versus $866 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 Maharagama. 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.