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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $760 per month in Chengdu vs $458 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Chengdu vs $757 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,695 per month in Chengdu vs $1,056 in Galle, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 66% more than Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chengdu and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 45% lower, Galle 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ¥19.50

$1.55 LKR 510

87.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.30 ¥136

$23.95 LKR 7,871

-15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ¥34.76

$7.43 LKR 2,443

-30.15%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ¥19.14

$1.79 LKR 589

59.78%

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

$0.51 ¥3.38

$0.69 LKR 227

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.27 LKR 89.6

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$1.21 LKR 397

25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ¥16.16

$1.48 LKR 485

62.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.70

$1.56 LKR 514

12.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.05

$0.54 LKR 176

205.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.97

$0.77 LKR 252

15.58%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

$1.58 LKR 520

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 ¥96.7

$13.19 LKR 4,334

9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.50

$4.95 LKR 1,627

-29.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ¥74.7

$7.08 LKR 2,326

57.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.50

$6.70 LKR 2,200

-72.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$0.72 LKR 238

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.48

$4.26 LKR 1,401

-73.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.10

$1.23 LKR 404

-1.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥4.97

$1.02 LKR 335

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.81 LKR 267

-8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.89 LKR 293

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.65

$0.49 LKR 162

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 ¥24.66

$10.52 LKR 3,457

-65.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥36.65

$9.31 LKR 3,058

-41.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.52

$1.89 LKR 622

-56.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.10

$2.79 LKR 918

-45.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.14 LKR 45.97

228.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.62 ¥165

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.10

$0.31 LKR 102

338.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.31 LKR 103

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 ¥30.10

$0.94 LKR 310

377.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.16

$1.33 LKR 438

-8.27%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-37.66%

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

$17.0K ¥113.8K

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-60.51%

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

$40.48 ¥271

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

-27.26%

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

$9.83 ¥65.9

$4.05 LKR 1,331

142.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.68 ¥84.9

$21.11 LKR 6,937

-39.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.24 ¥182

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥75.8

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ¥39.32

$4.46 LKR 1,466

31.61%

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

$414 ¥2,773

$38.06 LKR 12.5K

987.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ¥101.0K

$1,219 LKR 400.5K

1137.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.07 ¥195

$20.01 LKR 6,576

45.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.22 ¥202

$16.63 LKR 5,464

81.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.7 ¥400

$78.8 LKR 25.9K

-24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 ¥355

$43.01 LKR 14.1K

23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 ¥3,308

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ¥1,762

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 ¥5,712

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥3,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,753 ¥25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 ¥13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,323 ¥8,859

$318 LKR 104.5K

315.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

12.69

-73.36%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 7, 2026

Last update for Galle: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 316% 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 $20.00 in Chengdu versus $24.00 in Galle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $225 – 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: $760 in Chengdu, $458 in Galle – roughly 66% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,140 per month in Chengdu and $687 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 $20.00 in Chengdu and $24.00 in Galle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% 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 $760 in Chengdu and $458 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 $458 in Galle to $760 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.