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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,161 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Polonnaruwa is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Polonnaruwa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Polonnaruwa 63% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$2.08 ฿69.3

106.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 LKR 8,542

$19.61 ฿653

31.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,588

$5.67 ฿189

38.10%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 816

$1.81 ฿60.1

36.46%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.77 ฿25.58

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.6

$0.35 ฿11.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$2.21 ฿73.7

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$3.79 ฿126

-18.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$2.05 ฿68.2

-23.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.51 ฿50.4

-64.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.40 ฿46.57

-42.14%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 543

$2.26 ฿75.2

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 LKR 4,315

$16.19 ฿539

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$2.90 ฿96.4

76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,444

$9.42 ฿314

-21.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,270

$2.68 ฿89.2

156.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.09 ฿36.28

-19.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,389

$1.62 ฿53.8

159.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$1.46 ฿48.61

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 335

$1.28 ฿42.54

-21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.06 ฿35.21

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

$0.72 ฿23.88

29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.53 ฿17.51

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,447

$4.23 ฿141

146.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,550

$18.29 ฿609

-24.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 630

$1.63 ฿54.3

17.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 937

$2.90 ฿96.6

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.17 ฿39.04

-64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.58 ฿19.25

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

$2.39 ฿79.4

-61.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 423

$1.45 ฿48.28

-11.72%

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

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

47.84%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

58.75%

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

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-14.31%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,351

$12.89 ฿429

-68.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 LKR 6,990

$20.52 ฿683

3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 LKR 1,505

$6.58 ฿219

-30.85%

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

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,710

$55.1 ฿1,835

-63.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.85 LKR 5,570

$24.74 ฿824

-31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Polonnaruwa vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Polonnaruwa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 86% more than Polonnaruwa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $750 per month in Polonnaruwa and $1,398 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 $26.00 in Polonnaruwa and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $500 versus $932 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.