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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $533 in Beruwala versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $855 in Beruwala versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Beruwala versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beruwala costs roughly 39% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beruwala 60% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 LKR 1,304

$1.98 ฿64.3

97.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 LKR 8,405

$18.80 ฿612

34.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,785

$7.75 ฿252

7.74%

Cappuccino

$2.70 LKR 901

$1.92 ฿62.5

40.63%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.36 ฿11.62

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 793

$2.21 ฿72.1

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,102

$3.66 ฿119

-9.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 595

$1.65 ฿53.8

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 271

$1.19 ฿38.86

-31.93%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$2.00 ฿65.1

6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 LKR 4,639

$15.98 ฿520

-12.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 LKR 1,586

$3.03 ฿98.5

56.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,617

$10.86 ฿354

-27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,460

$2.76 ฿90.0

167.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 354

$1.18 ฿38.42

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,986

$1.64 ฿53.5

262.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.52 ฿49.51

-17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$1.38 ฿45.10

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 456

$1.19 ฿38.84

15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 398

$0.70 ฿22.86

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$0.56 ฿18.13

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 LKR 3,347

$4.58 ฿149

119.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 LKR 4,153

$16.56 ฿539

-24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 674

$1.83 ฿59.5

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 958

$3.20 ฿104

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$1.36 ฿44.16

-72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$1.34 ฿43.65

-73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 206

$7.84 ฿256

-92.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 414

$1.23 ฿39.92

0.81%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

26.21%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

52.40%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.79%

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

$4.32 LKR 1,441

$13.68 ฿445

-68.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 LKR 5,111

$17.45 ฿568

-12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,087

$5.77 ฿188

-43.50%

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

$37.24 LKR 12.4K

$307 ฿10.0K

-87.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 146.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-97.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.08 LKR 9,365

$55.8 ฿1,817

-49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.71 LKR 6,574

$26.21 ฿854

-24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.1K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.11 LKR 13.0K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$149 LKR 49.8K

$619 ฿20.2K

-75.87%

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 Beruwala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 314% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Beruwala vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $241 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

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

Beruwala is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 314% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $533 per month in Beruwala versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

For families, Beruwala 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, Beruwala 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 Beruwala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.