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 $734 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,572 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is about 15% 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 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,368

$1.94 ฿63.5

112.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 LKR 8,211

$18.64 ฿609

32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 LKR 2,811

$7.82 ฿255

8.44%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 884

$1.95 ฿63.8

36.92%

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

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.85 ฿27.77

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 757

$2.13 ฿69.6

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,092

$3.73 ฿122

-11.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 LKR 497

$1.71 ฿56.0

-12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.63 ฿53.2

-67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.14 ฿37.15

-25.44%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 705

$1.93 ฿63.1

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 LKR 3,410

$16.21 ฿530

-36.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$3.12 ฿102

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,940

$10.90 ฿356

-46.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 LKR 2,046

$2.75 ฿90.0

124.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.21 ฿39.52

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,894

$1.62 ฿53.0

252.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 415

$1.59 ฿51.8

-21.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 334

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 309

$1.17 ฿38.17

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.66 ฿21.60

72.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 LKR 166

$0.53 ฿17.22

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 LKR 2,805

$4.69 ฿153

80.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,167

$18.66 ฿609

-32.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 LKR 486

$1.80 ฿58.8

-18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 LKR 600

$3.23 ฿106

-43.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.90 ฿29.26

-64.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,392

$19.21 ฿628

-46.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$1.41 ฿45.91

-75.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 145

$7.84 ฿256

-94.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 419

$1.27 ฿41.58

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.91%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

54.81%

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

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-55.64%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,399

$14.08 ฿460

-70.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,943

$18.00 ฿588

-17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LKR 6,984

$41.06 ฿1,341

-48.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,135

$5.92 ฿193

-42.23%

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

$36.74 LKR 12.2K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 143.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,290

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.05 LKR 6,317

$26.77 ฿874

-28.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 22.9K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-45.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 LKR 111.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 84.1K

$237 ฿7,752

6.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 LKR 169.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 LKR 138.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-18.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$686 LKR 227.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-65.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 LKR 175.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-64.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 100.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

-50.99%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $428 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 104% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $246 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 18% 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 $1,100 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $1,300 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 $36.74 per month in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs $734 versus $866 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.