Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Anuradhapura vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 42% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Anuradhapura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 63% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,355

$1.96 ฿65.8

105.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 LKR 8,391

$18.35 ฿617

36.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,761

$7.48 ฿252

9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 919

$2.02 ฿67.8

35.15%

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

$0.72 LKR 244

$0.85 ฿28.50

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.36 ฿11.96

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

$2.14 ฿71.8

6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,134

$3.59 ฿121

-5.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 573

$1.65 ฿55.5

3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.57 ฿52.7

-64.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 270

$1.19 ฿40.02

-32.77%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 750

$1.94 ฿65.1

14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 LKR 4,792

$16.19 ฿544

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,587

$2.99 ฿101

57.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,782

$10.94 ฿368

-24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$7.61 LKR 2,556

$2.71 ฿91.2

180.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$1.17 ฿39.25

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,912

$1.69 ฿56.7

236.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 402

$1.60 ฿54.0

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.38 ฿46.54

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.20 ฿40.45

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$0.67 ฿22.50

73.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.56 ฿18.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,333

$4.64 ฿156

113.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 4,197

$17.62 ฿593

-29.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 703

$1.86 ฿62.5

12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 963

$3.30 ฿111

-13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.36 ฿45.90

-71.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 120

$1.34 ฿44.98

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

$8.21 ฿276

-92.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.22 ฿41.18

-0.82%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

27.04%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

55.47%

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

$27.06 LKR 9,094

$70.7 ฿2,376

-61.71%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,147

$14.04 ฿472

-75.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 5,068

$17.49 ฿588

-13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$5.92 ฿199

-42.40%

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

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

-87.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-96.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.71 LKR 9,312

$55.8 ฿1,875

-50.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,476

$26.11 ฿878

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

229.00%

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

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $496 in Anuradhapura, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 74% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $496 in Anuradhapura and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Anuradhapura to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Anuradhapura. 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.