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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Badulla versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Badulla versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,201 in Badulla versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 38% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Badulla 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,300

$1.96 ฿64.0

108.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 LKR 8,050

$18.81 ฿615

34.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 LKR 2,602

$7.92 ฿259

3.03%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 836

$1.91 ฿62.6

37.17%

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

$0.74 LKR 236

$0.84 ฿27.41

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.35 ฿11.51

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 752

$2.21 ฿72.1

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,062

$3.80 ฿124

-12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 LKR 530

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$1.62 ฿53.1

-67.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 220

$1.18 ฿38.62

-41.53%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 685

$2.01 ฿65.8

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 LKR 4,563

$15.89 ฿520

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 LKR 1,271

$3.01 ฿98.5

32.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 LKR 2,505

$10.77 ฿352

-27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.67 LKR 2,447

$2.61 ฿85.5

193.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.22 ฿39.88

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,829

$1.70 ฿55.7

237.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.58 ฿51.5

-23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$1.32 ฿43.14

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 455

$1.17 ฿38.23

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 383

$0.67 ฿21.98

79.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 193

$0.56 ฿18.32

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 LKR 3,145

$4.53 ฿148

117.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 LKR 4,031

$18.20 ฿595

-30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 664

$1.83 ฿60.0

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 905

$3.23 ฿106

-12.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.35 ฿44.20

-71.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 114

$1.35 ฿44.05

-73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 193

$8.25 ฿270

-92.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 382

$1.27 ฿41.64

-5.51%

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

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

28.51%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

55.87%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

$70.2 ฿2,294

-14.31%

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

$4.20 LKR 1,340

$13.77 ฿450

-69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 LKR 4,857

$17.60 ฿575

-13.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 LKR 1,037

$5.78 ฿189

-43.77%

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

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

$306 ฿10.0K

-88.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 140.6K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-97.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 8,937

$54.4 ฿1,778

-48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 LKR 6,283

$26.14 ฿855

-24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-44.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for Badulla: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $797 in Badulla and $1,278 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $36.67 in Badulla versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Badulla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Badulla and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.