Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,454 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$2.08 ฿68.5

109.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LKR 8,133

$19.64 ฿646

26.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,473

$5.65 ฿186

33.45%

Cappuccino

$2.51 LKR 823

$1.81 ฿59.3

38.67%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.71 ฿23.44

-4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.32 ฿10.38

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$2.24 ฿73.5

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$3.63 ฿119

-14.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 430

$1.96 ฿64.4

-33.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$1.50 ฿49.38

-62.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 227

$1.34 ฿43.92

-48.51%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$2.26 ฿74.4

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,368

$16.26 ฿534

-18.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$2.95 ฿97.1

48.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 LKR 1,742

$9.94 ฿327

-46.58%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,050

$2.57 ฿84.5

143.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.06 ฿34.72

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,415

$1.61 ฿53.0

167.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 390

$1.52 ฿49.96

-21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.27 ฿41.76

-26.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.07 ฿35.05

-29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$0.72 ฿23.67

23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.51 ฿16.72

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 LKR 3,017

$4.19 ฿138

119.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,093

$17.87 ฿587

-30.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$1.69 ฿55.7

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$2.84 ฿93.2

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$1.23 ฿40.58

-74.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$0.58 ฿18.96

-36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$2.42 ฿79.7

-63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 379

$1.41 ฿46.42

-17.73%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

44.27%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

53.61%

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

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

$63.7 ฿2,093

-29.09%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,408

$12.85 ฿423

-66.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.22 LKR 4,009

$20.22 ฿665

-39.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

$38.74 ฿1,274

-61.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 LKR 1,017

$6.74 ฿221

-54.01%

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

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

$778 ฿25.6K

-95.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 293.9K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-93.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 LKR 6,540

$54.3 ฿1,785

-63.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,438

$25.45 ฿836

-34.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

$73.4 ฿2,414

-43.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.8K

$490 ฿16.1K

-37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LKR 74.8K

$289 ฿9,510

-21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 LKR 146.9K

$894 ฿29.4K

-49.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 LKR 126.5K

$517 ฿17.0K

-25.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 220.0K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-65.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 LKR 177.9K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-63.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 LKR 101.4K

$602 ฿19.8K

-48.69%

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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% 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 $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 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 $1,077 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 10% 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs $718 versus $947 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. 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.