Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $923 in Cha-am versus $718 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Cha-am versus $1,153 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,884 in Cha-am versus $1,588 in Colombo.

Living in Cha-am is roughly 29% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cha-am 31% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿106

$4.07 LKR 1,366

-22.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.45 ฿720

$25.28 LKR 8,492

-15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 ฿293

$8.60 LKR 2,891

1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ฿70.2

$2.71 LKR 909

-22.88%

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

$0.64 ฿21.57

$0.69 LKR 232

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ฿13.97

$0.40 LKR 136

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.5

$2.27 LKR 764

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 ฿127

$3.27 LKR 1,099

15.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ฿58.9

$1.70 LKR 571

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 ฿45.90

$0.55 LKR 185

149.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.27

$0.88 LKR 295

43.18%

Eggs

$1.84 ฿61.7

$2.14 LKR 721

-14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 ฿456

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ฿114

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 ฿361

$8.09 LKR 2,717

32.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ฿101

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.07 LKR 359

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ฿62.8

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-67.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.25 LKR 421

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.14 LKR 384

48.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.61

$1.36 LKR 458

-11.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ฿40.68

$1.20 LKR 403

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ฿14.07

$0.56 LKR 190

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 ฿158

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-52.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.64 ฿559

$12.70 LKR 4,266

31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿61.8

$2.09 LKR 702

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 ฿119

$2.90 LKR 974

22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿30.20

$0.16 LKR 54.7

462.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.81

$0.38 LKR 129

189.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ฿25.40

$0.35 LKR 119

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ฿115

$0.62 LKR 207

453.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.46

$1.19 LKR 401

8.40%

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

$19.9K ฿666.9K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-26.92%

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

$20.7K ฿696.1K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-39.48%

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

$73.2 ฿2,456

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

22.75%

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

$12.91 ฿433

$4.30 LKR 1,444

200.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.12 ฿608

$15.37 LKR 5,165

17.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 ฿821

$14.83 LKR 4,984

64.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿417

$7.39 LKR 2,484

68.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ฿257

$3.28 LKR 1,103

133.84%

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

$136 ฿4,568

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

273.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,318 ฿312.8K

$442 LKR 148.5K

2008.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.85 ฿1,002

$27.73 LKR 9,318

7.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.69 ฿661

$19.12 LKR 6,425

2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 ฿2,052

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

-11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.22 ฿1,451

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.3K

$368 LKR 123.6K

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ฿12.6K

$173 LKR 58.0K

116.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ฿26.0K

$971 LKR 326.1K

-20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 ฿23.2K

$369 LKR 123.9K

87.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 ฿12.0K

$251 LKR 84.2K

42.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

16.45

-66.87%

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

Last update for Cha-am: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Cha-am and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cha-am pays 42% 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: $21.00 in Cha-am vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $258 per month, with Cha-am 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

Cha-am vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am and Colombo differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($923 vs $718 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Cha-am, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Cha-am versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $136 in Cha-am versus $36.45 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $21.00 in Cha-am. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cha-am and Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Cha-am. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.