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 $521 per month in Piliyandala vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Piliyandala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 61% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 LKR 1,154

$1.96 ฿65.9

75.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.35 LKR 4,485

$18.35 ฿617

-27.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,758

$7.48 ฿252

9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 913

$2.02 ฿67.8

34.65%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$0.85 ฿28.52

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.36 ฿11.97

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LKR 670

$2.14 ฿71.9

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,094

$3.59 ฿121

-9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.65 ฿55.5

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 190

$1.57 ฿52.7

-64.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 287

$1.19 ฿40.05

-27.73%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 740

$1.94 ฿65.1

13.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 LKR 4,807

$16.19 ฿545

-11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,605

$2.99 ฿101

59.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 LKR 2,675

$10.94 ฿368

-27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 LKR 2,563

$2.71 ฿91.2

181.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 362

$1.17 ฿39.27

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 LKR 1,903

$1.69 ฿56.8

234.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 404

$1.60 ฿54.0

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.38 ฿46.56

-15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 456

$1.20 ฿40.47

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 400

$0.67 ฿22.51

77.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 189

$0.56 ฿18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 LKR 3,373

$4.64 ฿156

116.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 LKR 4,288

$17.62 ฿593

-27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 672

$1.86 ฿62.6

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 957

$3.30 ฿111

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.36 ฿45.92

-69.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 111

$1.34 ฿45.00

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

$8.21 ฿276

-92.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 425

$1.22 ฿41.20

3.28%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

25.31%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.9M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

56.81%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

$70.7 ฿2,378

-15.99%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,445

$14.04 ฿472

-69.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 5,031

$17.49 ฿589

-14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,157

$5.92 ฿199

-41.89%

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

$37.41 LKR 12.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

-87.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$437 LKR 146.9K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-97.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 LKR 9,267

$55.8 ฿1,876

-50.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 LKR 6,539

$26.11 ฿879

-25.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-16.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.04 LKR 12.8K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Piliyandala vs $243 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 65% 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 $782 per month in Piliyandala and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $521 in Piliyandala and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Piliyandala costs $521 versus $861 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.