Colombo vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Colombo (Sri Lanka) · Overall index 23.5 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 11% more expensive than Colombo.
- Dining out in Chiang Mai is 23% more expensive than in Colombo.
- Transport in Chiang Mai is 18% more expensive than in Colombo.
| Item | Colombo | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +3% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $401 | $477 | +19% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $294 | $325 | +11% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $907 | $805 | -11% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $551 | $542 | -2% |
| Groceries | +12% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.38 | $0.53 | +39% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.33 | $1.44 | +8% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.68 | +10% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.65 | $1.78 | +8% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.78 | $4.79 | 0% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.8 | $4.84 | +27% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.4 | $6.72 | +5% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.9 | $2.14 | +13% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.76 | $0.79 | +4% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.47 | $1.82 | +24% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.65 | $2.21 | +34% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.03 | $1.07 | +4% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.03 | $0.94 | -9% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.9 | $0.93 | +3% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.77 | $0.87 | +13% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.1 | $5.67 | +11% |
| Transport | +18% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.73 | $0.71 | -3% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $29.1 | $38.2 | +31% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.08 | $1.11 | +3% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.46 | $0.56 | +22% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.23 | $0.29 | +26% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $6,291 | $8,510 | +35% |
| Dining out | +23% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.91 | $6.98 | +18% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $33.3 | $40 | +20% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.2 | $3.87 | +21% |
| Cappuccino | $1.39 | $1.62 | +17% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.62 | $0.9 | +45% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.91 | $2.41 | +26% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.12 | $2.63 | +24% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.57 | $0.64 | +12% |
| Telecom | -2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.2 | $24.9 | +3% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $28.7 | $26.6 | -7% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.14 | $0.15 | +7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.7 | $6.1 | -9% |
| Utilities & household | +12% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $60.9 | $67.6 | +11% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.07 | $0.08 | +14% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.62 | $1.58 | -2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.44 | $0.56 | +27% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.6 | $8.03 | +6% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $28.4 | $32.5 | +14% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $4.67 | $6.4 | +37% |
| Men's haircut | $10.3 | $10.6 | +3% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.02 | $9.66 | +7% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $699 | $810 | +16% |
3,515 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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