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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Piliyandala vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,115 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 41% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Piliyandala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 62% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.25 LKR 1,079

$1.94 ฿63.5

67.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 LKR 4,475

$18.64 ฿609

-27.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 LKR 2,755

$7.82 ฿255

6.27%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 910

$1.95 ฿63.8

40.51%

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

$0.74 LKR 245

$0.85 ฿27.77

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LKR 659

$2.13 ฿69.6

-6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$3.73 ฿122

-8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$1.14 ฿37.15

-28.95%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 707

$1.93 ฿63.1

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 LKR 4,753

$16.21 ฿530

-11.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,534

$3.12 ฿102

48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,703

$10.90 ฿356

-25.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,443

$2.75 ฿90.0

168.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 353

$1.21 ฿39.52

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 LKR 1,975

$1.62 ฿53.0

267.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 400

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 381

$1.40 ฿45.70

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 450

$1.17 ฿38.17

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 381

$0.66 ฿21.60

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 183

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 LKR 3,325

$4.69 ฿153

113.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 LKR 4,303

$18.66 ฿609

-30.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 683

$1.80 ฿58.8

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 944

$3.23 ฿106

-11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.41 ฿45.91

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$7.84 ฿256

-92.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 400

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$26.9K LKR 8.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.34%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

59.24%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.1K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-12.12%

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

$4.40 LKR 1,459

$14.08 ฿460

-68.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,093

$18.00 ฿588

-14.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 LKR 1,115

$5.92 ฿193

-43.24%

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

$36.89 LKR 12.2K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 LKR 9,284

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,391

$26.77 ฿874

-28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-17.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.97 LKR 12.6K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-46.22%

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)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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 %)

16.45

229.00%

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

Last update for Piliyandala: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Piliyandala vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 69% more than Piliyandala, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $770 per month in Piliyandala and $1,300 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 $13.00 in Piliyandala and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $513 in Piliyandala and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piliyandala costs $513 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 Piliyandala. 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.