Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Galle Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Galle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $670 per month in Chengdu vs $510 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $912 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,478 per month in Chengdu vs $1,314 in Galle, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 31% more than Galle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chengdu and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 50% lower, Galle 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.42

$3.04 LKR 970

-6.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.02 ¥165

$25.04 LKR 7,985

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ¥32.72

$8.03 LKR 2,560

-40.47%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥19.01

$2.71 LKR 865

2.21%

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

$0.43 ¥2.95

$0.73 LKR 234

-41.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.08

$0.40 LKR 128

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$2.32 LKR 739

-51.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.97

$2.96 LKR 945

-31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.45

$1.71 LKR 545

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.92

$0.35 LKR 110

314.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.32

$0.87 LKR 277

5.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.28

$1.90 LKR 605

2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 ¥92.5

$14.15 LKR 4,512

-4.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ¥24.11

$4.80 LKR 1,529

-26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 ¥76.8

$7.84 LKR 2,501

43.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 ¥13.16

$7.51 LKR 2,396

-74.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.39

$0.88 LKR 282

39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.24

$5.85 LKR 1,864

-74.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.40

$1.22 LKR 389

-11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.75

$1.10 LKR 352

-37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.84

$1.38 LKR 439

-48.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.84

$1.18 LKR 377

-52.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.14

$0.42 LKR 136

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥23.21

$9.96 LKR 3,175

-65.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 ¥38.20

$9.69 LKR 3,090

-42.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.88

$2.00 LKR 637

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥12.26

$2.90 LKR 924

-38.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.96

$0.17 LKR 54.7

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.53 ¥189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.79

$0.32 LKR 102

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.77

$0.33 LKR 104

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 ¥29.16

$0.57 LKR 181

647.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.07

$1.22 LKR 389

-3.28%

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

$18.7K ¥127.9K

$26.5K LKR 8.5M

-29.56%

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

$16.3K ¥111.9K

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-53.65%

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

$43.81 ¥300

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

-27.53%

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

$11.49 ¥78.7

$4.45 LKR 1,418

158.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 ¥80.3

$13.51 LKR 4,308

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.26 ¥166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 ¥77.2

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ¥39.23

$3.27 LKR 1,044

75.23%

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

$340 ¥2,326

$36.53 LKR 11.7K

829.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥83.4K

$441 LKR 140.7K

2658.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.27 ¥255

$27.53 LKR 8,779

35.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ¥268

$19.42 LKR 6,192

101.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 ¥450

$69.5 LKR 22.2K

-5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 ¥345

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ¥2,112

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ¥1,242

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,258

$197 LKR 62.8K

215.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥2,263

$148 LKR 47.2K

123.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 ¥26.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 ¥14.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 ¥8,287

$325 LKR 103.5K

272.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

16.45

-74.41%

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

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Last update for Galle: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 273% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $25.00 in Galle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $245 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chengdu vs Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $670 in Chengdu, $510 in Galle – roughly 31% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,006 per month in Chengdu and $765 in Galle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu and $25.00 in Galle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Chengdu – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $670 in Chengdu and $510 in Galle, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Galle has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $510 in Galle to $670 in Chengdu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Galle. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.