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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $413 per month in Negombo vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $674 per month in Negombo vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $936 per month in Negombo vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Negombo is about 51% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Negombo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Negombo 69% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,310

$1.96 ฿63.6

100.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.33 LKR 6,103

$18.39 ฿598

-0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 LKR 2,754

$7.87 ฿256

5.08%

Cappuccino

$1.43 LKR 476

$1.95 ฿63.4

-26.67%

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

$0.74 LKR 245

$0.85 ฿27.57

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.32 ฿10.52

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 LKR 687

$2.14 ฿69.6

-3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,105

$3.68 ฿120

-9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 LKR 509

$1.66 ฿53.9

-7.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 163

$1.56 ฿50.7

-68.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 276

$1.19 ฿38.63

-30.25%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 736

$1.99 ฿64.7

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 LKR 4,672

$16.24 ฿528

-13.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 LKR 1,600

$3.17 ฿103

51.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.75 LKR 1,915

$10.84 ฿352

-46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 LKR 680

$2.65 ฿86.2

-23.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 LKR 238

$1.22 ฿39.67

-41.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 LKR 829

$1.65 ฿53.7

50.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.55 ฿50.3

-18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 275

$1.33 ฿43.17

-38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 LKR 305

$1.21 ฿39.43

-23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 LKR 342

$0.68 ฿22.04

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 202

$0.57 ฿18.38

7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 LKR 2,950

$4.68 ฿152

89.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 LKR 4,316

$16.99 ฿552

-23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 686

$1.82 ฿59.3

13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 982

$3.18 ฿103

-7.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 113

$0.91 ฿29.46

-62.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.41 ฿45.80

-70.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

$1.34 ฿43.52

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$8.14 ฿265

-92.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 413

$1.28 ฿41.53

-3.13%

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

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

22.13%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$22.4K ฿728.0K

56.26%

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

$31.15 LKR 10.4K

$70.5 ฿2,291

-55.80%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,404

$14.05 ฿457

-69.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.95 LKR 4,977

$17.65 ฿574

-15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.60 LKR 4,530

$41.29 ฿1,342

-67.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.20 LKR 3,398

$6.76 ฿220

50.89%

Cinema Ticket

$2.45 LKR 815

$5.96 ฿194

-58.89%

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

$36.24 LKR 12.1K

$303 ฿9,846

-88.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 148.3K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-97.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.42 LKR 6,468

$54.7 ฿1,778

-64.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.69 LKR 6,555

$26.29 ฿854

-25.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.36 LKR 16.4K

$85.8 ฿2,788

-42.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.22 LKR 9,066

$69.7 ฿2,265

-60.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$183 LKR 61.1K

$623 ฿20.2K

-70.55%

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 Negombo: June 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 240% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Negombo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $242 – making Negombo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 105% more than Negombo, 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 $619 per month in Negombo and $1,272 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 $18.00 in Negombo and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $413 in Negombo and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negombo costs $413 versus $848 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 Negombo. 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.