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 $754 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,171 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 44% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 LKR 1,345

$1.96 ฿65.8

104.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 LKR 8,411

$18.35 ฿617

36.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 LKR 2,737

$7.48 ฿252

8.82%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 910

$2.02 ฿67.8

34.16%

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

$0.74 LKR 250

$0.85 ฿28.50

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.36 ฿11.96

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 LKR 809

$2.14 ฿71.8

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,138

$3.59 ฿121

-5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 LKR 499

$1.65 ฿55.5

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.19 ฿40.02

-27.73%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 709

$1.94 ฿65.1

8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 LKR 3,497

$16.19 ฿544

-35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,540

$2.99 ฿101

53.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 LKR 1,972

$10.94 ฿368

-46.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 LKR 2,156

$2.71 ฿91.2

136.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$1.17 ฿39.25

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 LKR 1,950

$1.69 ฿56.7

243.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 401

$1.60 ฿54.0

-25.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 319

$1.38 ฿46.54

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 LKR 304

$1.20 ฿40.45

-24.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 400

$0.67 ฿22.50

77.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LKR 178

$0.56 ฿18.73

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 LKR 2,886

$4.64 ฿156

85.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 LKR 4,212

$17.62 ฿593

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 LKR 512

$1.86 ฿62.5

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 LKR 601

$3.30 ฿111

-45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.88 ฿29.68

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,439

$19.34 ฿650

-47.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.36 ฿45.90

-76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$1.34 ฿44.98

-76.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 157

$8.21 ฿276

-94.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.22 ฿41.18

-0.82%

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

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

24.95%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

53.33%

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

$30.12 LKR 10.1K

$70.7 ฿2,376

-57.38%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,486

$14.04 ฿472

-68.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 LKR 5,028

$17.49 ฿588

-14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.63 LKR 6,933

$42.15 ฿1,417

-51.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,120

$5.92 ฿199

-43.75%

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

$37.30 LKR 12.5K

$309 ฿10.4K

-87.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-97.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.06 LKR 9,093

$55.8 ฿1,875

-51.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.44 LKR 6,533

$26.11 ฿878

-25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 LKR 23.2K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.41 LKR 12.9K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 114.6K

$432 ฿14.5K

-21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 85.4K

$239 ฿8,035

6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 LKR 168.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

-39.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 LKR 142.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

-17.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 225.5K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$512 LKR 172.1K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 101.8K

$579 ฿19.5K

-47.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $432 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 91% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $243 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 14% more than Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,132 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,292 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.

Kindergarten costs $37.30 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $754 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs $754 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 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.