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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $498 per month in Anuradhapura vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,162 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Anuradhapura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 64% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 LKR 1,460

$2.08 ฿68.5

113.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 LKR 7,973

$19.64 ฿646

23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 LKR 2,530

$5.65 ฿186

36.46%

Cappuccino

$2.41 LKR 790

$1.81 ฿59.3

33.15%

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

$0.75 LKR 244

$0.71 ฿23.44

5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.1

$0.32 ฿10.38

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 748

$2.24 ฿73.5

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 975

$3.63 ฿119

-18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 551

$1.96 ฿64.4

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.50 ฿49.38

-62.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$1.34 ฿43.92

-40.30%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 535

$2.26 ฿74.4

-27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 LKR 4,295

$16.26 ฿534

-19.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 LKR 1,634

$2.95 ฿97.1

68.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 LKR 2,391

$9.94 ฿327

-26.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.93 LKR 2,272

$2.57 ฿84.5

169.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 287

$1.06 ฿34.72

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,396

$1.61 ฿53.0

164.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 410

$1.52 ฿49.96

-17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 331

$1.27 ฿41.76

-20.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$1.07 ฿35.05

-25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 294

$0.72 ฿23.67

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.51 ฿16.72

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 LKR 3,458

$4.19 ฿138

151.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 LKR 4,534

$17.87 ฿587

-22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 629

$1.69 ฿55.7

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 909

$2.84 ฿93.2

-2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$1.23 ฿40.58

-65.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 114

$0.58 ฿18.96

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 293

$2.42 ฿79.7

-63.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.41 ฿46.42

-4.96%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

42.07%

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

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

56.14%

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

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

$63.7 ฿2,093

-16.52%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,405

$12.85 ฿423

-66.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.72 LKR 6,796

$20.22 ฿665

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,473

$6.74 ฿221

-33.38%

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

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

$778 ฿25.6K

-95.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-91.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.20 LKR 6,627

$54.3 ฿1,785

-62.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.92 LKR 5,553

$25.45 ฿836

-33.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-15.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

$73.4 ฿2,414

-41.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Anuradhapura versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Anuradhapura vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Anuradhapura 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $498 in Anuradhapura, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 90% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $747 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,421 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 $24.00 in Anuradhapura and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $498, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $498 in Anuradhapura to $947 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.