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: $508 in Beruwala versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $839 in Beruwala versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,169 in Beruwala versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beruwala costs roughly 47% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Beruwala 63% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 LKR 1,425

$2.10 ฿69.3

106.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.65 LKR 8,429

$19.84 ฿656

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 LKR 2,475

$5.79 ฿191

30.05%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 843

$1.83 ฿60.4

40.44%

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

$0.73 LKR 240

$0.78 ฿25.61

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.31 ฿10.37

-19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 721

$2.34 ฿77.2

-6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 LKR 1,022

$3.70 ฿122

-15.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LKR 538

$2.03 ฿67.1

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.60 ฿52.7

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.42 ฿46.75

-43.66%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 525

$2.18 ฿71.9

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 LKR 4,376

$15.91 ฿526

-16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 LKR 1,623

$3.07 ฿102

60.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,422

$9.87 ฿326

-25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 LKR 2,269

$2.63 ฿86.8

162.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 294

$1.10 ฿36.19

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 LKR 1,394

$1.63 ฿53.8

160.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$1.53 ฿50.6

-18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 329

$1.24 ฿41.13

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 264

$1.13 ฿37.37

-29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 LKR 298

$0.74 ฿24.38

22.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.50 ฿16.48

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 LKR 3,376

$4.28 ฿141

139.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 LKR 4,502

$17.97 ฿594

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 644

$1.70 ฿56.1

15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 950

$2.90 ฿95.7

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

$1.23 ฿40.76

-69.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.53 ฿17.66

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 311

$2.40 ฿79.3

-60.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 421

$1.44 ฿47.55

-11.11%

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

$30.8K LKR 10.1M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

45.32%

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

$43.1K LKR 14.2M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

57.94%

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

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-13.88%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,344

$13.35 ฿441

-69.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 LKR 6,977

$20.83 ฿688

1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.45 LKR 1,464

$6.71 ฿222

-33.68%

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

$37.46 LKR 12.3K

$787 ฿26.0K

-95.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,236 LKR 406.3K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-91.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.22 LKR 6,643

$56.2 ฿1,858

-64.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.85 LKR 5,536

$24.95 ฿824

-32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 LKR 26.4K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.96 LKR 14.1K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$152 LKR 50.0K

$605 ฿20.0K

-74.84%

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 Beruwala: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 297% 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: $26.00 in Beruwala vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $238 vs $242, with Beruwala cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 297% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $508 per month in Beruwala versus $950 in Chiang Mai – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Beruwala versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beruwala but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Beruwala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 87% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.