Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moratuwa and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 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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Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moratuwa 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 Moratuwa and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $131 per month in Moratuwa vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moratuwa $131
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $211 per month in Moratuwa vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moratuwa $211
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $291 per month in Moratuwa vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moratuwa $291
Chiang Mai $1,979

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.84 LKR 611

$1.67 ฿56.6

10.18%

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

$0.71 LKR 234

$0.64 ฿21.56

10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 LKR 49.28

$0.31 ฿10.32

-51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 LKR 616

$2.36 ฿79.6

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 816

$3.66 ฿124

-32.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 417

$1.95 ฿65.8

-35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 154

$1.44 ฿48.51

-68.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$1.33 ฿45.07

-38.35%

Eggs

$2.36 LKR 785

$2.28 ฿77.1

3.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 LKR 4,078

$16.45 ฿556

-25.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.97 ฿32.82

-52.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$4.44 LKR 1,475

$12.17 ฿411

-63.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.01 LKR 4,989

$37.31 ฿1,260

-59.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

$3.77 ฿127

-18.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.05 LKR 2,013

$24.64 ฿832

-75.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

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 Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Moratuwa

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:26 4:26 AM

05:56 5:56 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Moratuwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

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Between locations

Moratuwa Chiang Mai 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Moratuwa
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 613% more than Moratuwa, 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 $197 per month in Moratuwa 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 Moratuwa and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Moratuwa about 86% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 237% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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