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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Bentota versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $904 in Bentota versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,020 in Bentota versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 15% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 42% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LKR 1,489

$2.08 ฿69.3

116.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 LKR 3,985

$19.61 ฿653

-38.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 LKR 2,524

$5.67 ฿189

34.57%

Cappuccino

$2.41 LKR 796

$1.81 ฿60.1

33.15%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.77 ฿25.58

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.35 ฿11.49

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 747

$2.21 ฿73.7

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,019

$3.79 ฿126

-18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$2.05 ฿68.2

-23.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.51 ฿50.4

-64.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 253

$1.40 ฿46.57

-45.71%

Eggs

$1.68 LKR 554

$2.26 ฿75.2

-25.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 LKR 4,398

$16.19 ฿539

-17.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 LKR 1,116

$2.90 ฿96.4

16.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,536

$9.42 ฿314

-50.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 LKR 2,231

$2.68 ฿89.2

151.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 240

$1.09 ฿36.28

-33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,397

$1.62 ฿53.8

160.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 310

$1.46 ฿48.61

-35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 332

$1.28 ฿42.54

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.06 ฿35.21

-30.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 313

$0.72 ฿23.88

31.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.53 ฿17.51

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 LKR 3,465

$4.23 ฿141

147.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 LKR 4,517

$18.29 ฿609

-25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$1.63 ฿54.3

15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 955

$2.90 ฿96.6

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.88 ฿29.24

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.17 ฿39.04

-64.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.58 ฿19.25

-46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LKR 316

$2.39 ฿79.4

-59.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.45 ฿48.28

-10.34%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

43.01%

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

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

61.51%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-12.49%

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

$2.25 LKR 743

$12.89 ฿429

-82.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

$20.52 ฿683

-55.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 LKR 1,491

$6.58 ฿219

-31.46%

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

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.45 LKR 6,761

$55.1 ฿1,835

-62.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.04 LKR 5,635

$24.74 ฿824

-31.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 180.9K

$490 ฿16.3K

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 LKR 102.2K

$288 ฿9,594

7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Bentota: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Bentota and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Bentota vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $241 per month, with Bentota 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

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

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,183 in Bentota and $1,398 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Bentota versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $789 per month in Bentota versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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, Bentota 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.