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: $922 in Cha-am versus $717 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,416 in Cha-am versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Cha-am versus $1,615 in Colombo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.00 ฿98.0

$4.13 LKR 1,369

-27.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.36 ฿698

$25.16 LKR 8,344

-15.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 ฿294

$8.20 LKR 2,719

10.00%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿66.2

$2.66 LKR 882

-23.68%

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

$0.64 ฿20.95

$0.68 LKR 224

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ฿14.70

$0.41 LKR 135

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿82.5

$2.39 LKR 793

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.43 LKR 1,136

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.3

$1.73 LKR 574

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿45.41

$0.53 LKR 175

162.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.22

$0.83 LKR 274

51.81%

Eggs

$1.83 ฿59.6

$2.23 LKR 739

-17.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 ฿440

$14.02 LKR 4,648

-3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ฿107

$4.65 LKR 1,543

-29.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ฿359

$8.01 LKR 2,657

37.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ฿103

$7.37 LKR 2,444

-57.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.12 LKR 371

19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.8

$5.83 LKR 1,934

-67.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.40

$1.25 LKR 414

20.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 ฿54.9

$1.14 LKR 379

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.42 LKR 470

-10.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ฿39.76

$1.14 LKR 379

7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿14.86

$0.59 LKR 196

-22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿152

$10.01 LKR 3,321

-53.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.61 ฿543

$12.73 LKR 4,220

30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$2.11 LKR 699

-14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ฿115

$2.97 LKR 985

18.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.72

$0.14 LKR 48.01

528.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,687

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.44

$0.38 LKR 128

176.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ฿24.59

$0.33 LKR 109

127.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 ฿110

$0.60 LKR 199

461.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.26 LKR 416

4.76%

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

$20.0K ฿653.8K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-25.22%

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

$20.7K ฿675.5K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-41.19%

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

$73.3 ฿2,394

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

21.19%

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

$13.18 ฿430

$4.27 LKR 1,416

208.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ฿601

$15.34 LKR 5,086

19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.52 ฿801

$14.79 LKR 4,903

65.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 ฿406

$7.11 LKR 2,358

74.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿255

$3.28 LKR 1,086

138.11%

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

$141 ฿4,591

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

277.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,354 ฿305.5K

$444 LKR 147.1K

2007.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.97 ฿979

$27.15 LKR 9,002

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.69 ฿643

$19.13 LKR 6,344

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 ฿2,023

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.07 ฿1,407

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿14.8K

$379 LKR 125.7K

19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ฿12.0K

$178 LKR 59.0K

106.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 ฿25.6K

$937 LKR 310.7K

-16.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ฿22.5K

$361 LKR 119.6K

91.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$368 ฿12.0K

$247 LKR 82.1K

48.85%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Cha-am and $379 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cha-am pays 49% 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 $240 vs $257 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 ($922 vs $717 including rent). Colombo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cha-am pays 49% more on average, 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 $379 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $141 in Cha-am versus $37.28 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.