Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puttalam and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Puttalam: $61.9 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Puttalam

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$61.9

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puttalam and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Puttalam and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $61.9 per month in Puttalam vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puttalam $61.9
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $108 per month in Puttalam vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puttalam $108
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $153 per month in Puttalam vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Puttalam $153
Chiang Mai $1,903

Puttalam is about 93% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Puttalam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Puttalam 95% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$1.41 ฿47.03

-65.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 247

$1.31 ฿43.62

-42.75%

Eggs

$1.29 LKR 427

$2.18 ฿72.9

-40.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 LKR 1,175

$2.76 ฿92.2

28.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,463

$9.11 ฿304

-18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 256

$1.03 ฿34.26

-25.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.53 ฿17.59

-33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.45 LKR 2,469

$4.31 ฿144

72.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Puttalam: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Groceries & Markets

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Eating Out

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Getting Around

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Puttalam

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇱🇰 Puttalam

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

17:51 5:51 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Puttalam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

45,400

127,240

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Puttalam Chiang Mai 2,390 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Puttalam
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1396% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $92.8 per month in Puttalam and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $61.9 in Puttalam and $925 in Chiang Mai. That's a gap of about 1396%.

Groceries cost about 281% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puttalam, where all-in costs run around $61.9, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Puttalam 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. Puttalam costs $61.9 versus $925 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 Puttalam. 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.