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 $425 per month in Negombo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $694 per month in Negombo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $963 per month in Negombo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Negombo is about 50% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Negombo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Negombo 68% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,249

$1.96 ฿64.0

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.09 LKR 5,769

$18.81 ฿615

-3.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,614

$7.92 ฿259

3.54%

Cappuccino

$1.43 LKR 455

$1.91 ฿62.6

-25.13%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.84 ฿27.41

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.35 ฿11.51

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 LKR 623

$2.21 ฿72.1

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,097

$3.80 ฿124

-9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 LKR 471

$1.64 ฿53.5

-9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 LKR 152

$1.62 ฿53.1

-70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 278

$1.18 ฿38.62

-26.27%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 705

$2.01 ฿65.8

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,543

$15.89 ฿520

-10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,449

$3.01 ฿98.5

50.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,810

$10.77 ฿352

-47.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LKR 657

$2.61 ฿85.5

-21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 240

$1.22 ฿39.88

-38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 LKR 784

$1.70 ฿55.7

44.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 381

$1.58 ฿51.5

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 272

$1.32 ฿43.14

-35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 284

$1.17 ฿38.23

-23.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 LKR 314

$0.67 ฿21.98

46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 181

$0.56 ฿18.32

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 LKR 2,800

$4.53 ฿148

93.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,973

$18.20 ฿595

-31.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 671

$1.83 ฿60.0

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 942

$3.23 ฿106

-8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 101

$0.89 ฿29.00

-64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 123

$1.35 ฿44.20

-71.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 LKR 97.0

$1.35 ฿44.05

-77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 196

$8.25 ฿270

-92.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 399

$1.27 ฿41.64

-1.57%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

28.89%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

56.47%

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

$30.45 LKR 9,710

$70.2 ฿2,294

-56.59%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,371

$13.77 ฿450

-68.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.93 LKR 4,761

$17.60 ฿575

-15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.14 LKR 4,192

$41.57 ฿1,360

-68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.09 LKR 3,217

$6.60 ฿216

52.88%

Cinema Ticket

$2.37 LKR 757

$5.78 ฿189

-59.00%

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

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

$306 ฿10.0K

-88.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 141.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-97.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.03 LKR 6,068

$54.4 ฿1,778

-65.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.75 LKR 6,298

$26.14 ฿855

-24.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.01 LKR 15.6K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-42.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.52 LKR 8,458

$69.4 ฿2,270

-61.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 LKR 60.7K

$635 ฿20.8K

-70.01%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 233% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $243 – 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 100% 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 $638 per month in Negombo and $1,278 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $425 in Negombo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negombo costs $425 versus $852 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.