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 $489 per month in Anuradhapura vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $823 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 44% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 LKR 1,296

$1.94 ฿63.5

101.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,419

$18.64 ฿609

36.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,788

$7.82 ฿255

7.54%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 871

$1.95 ฿63.8

34.87%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.85 ฿27.77

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 791

$2.13 ฿69.6

11.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,125

$3.73 ฿122

-9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 572

$1.71 ฿56.0

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.63 ฿53.2

-65.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.14 ฿37.15

-25.44%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 736

$1.93 ฿63.1

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 LKR 4,587

$16.21 ฿530

-14.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,555

$3.12 ฿102

50.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,659

$10.90 ฿356

-26.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$2.75 ฿90.0

164.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.21 ฿39.52

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,958

$1.62 ฿53.0

264.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$1.59 ฿51.8

-22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 364

$1.40 ฿45.70

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 471

$1.17 ฿38.17

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$0.66 ฿21.60

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$0.53 ฿17.22

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

$4.69 ฿153

117.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,236

$18.66 ฿609

-31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 685

$1.80 ฿58.8

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 953

$3.23 ฿106

-11.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.41 ฿45.91

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$7.84 ฿256

-92.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 396

$1.27 ฿41.58

-5.51%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.22%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

58.72%

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

$69.1 ฿2,256

-61.73%

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

$3.25 LKR 1,079

$14.08 ฿460

-76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 LKR 4,948

$18.00 ฿588

-17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,090

$5.92 ฿193

-44.43%

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,292

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,504

$26.77 ฿874

-26.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-17.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-44.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $246 – 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: $489 in Anuradhapura, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 77% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $734 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,300 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $489 in Anuradhapura and $866 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $866 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.