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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Chengdu vs $496 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Chengdu vs $908 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,511 per month in Chengdu vs $1,320 in Galle, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 40% more than Galle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chengdu and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 48% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.34

$3.03 LKR 1,012

-10.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.62 ¥160

$25.34 LKR 8,451

-6.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.85

$8.05 LKR 2,685

-37.76%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ¥19.31

$2.65 LKR 885

7.55%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.69 LKR 229

-37.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.04

$0.41 LKR 136

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$2.29 LKR 763

-50.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.92

$2.97 LKR 990

-30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.93

$1.79 LKR 596

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.78

$0.34 LKR 115

326.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.80 LKR 268

7.50%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.99 LKR 663

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 ¥94.1

$13.94 LKR 4,651

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.71

$4.73 LKR 1,576

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$8.08 LKR 2,694

40.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.41

$7.53 LKR 2,510

-75.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.20

$0.89 LKR 297

35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.25

$5.72 LKR 1,908

-73.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.18

$1.26 LKR 421

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.74

$1.14 LKR 381

-38.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$1.42 LKR 473

-47.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$1.19 LKR 397

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.46 LKR 154

32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ¥22.73

$9.89 LKR 3,300

-66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.42 ¥36.65

$9.10 LKR 3,035

-40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ¥6.70

$2.08 LKR 692

-52.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$2.85 LKR 950

-34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.17 LKR 55.1

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.48 ¥186

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.24

$0.32 LKR 106

281.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.33 LKR 110

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥28.98

$0.57 LKR 189

650.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.26 LKR 420

-10.32%

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

$18.8K ¥127.3K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-29.12%

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

$16.4K ¥110.8K

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

-53.80%

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

$43.99 ¥297

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

-26.27%

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

$11.52 ¥77.9

$4.28 LKR 1,426

169.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 ¥79.1

$13.33 LKR 4,446

-12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.22 ¥164

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.33 ¥76.6

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 ¥38.75

$3.31 LKR 1,105

73.11%

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

$338 ¥2,284

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

811.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ¥82.7K

$447 LKR 149.2K

2632.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 ¥256

$27.02 LKR 9,013

39.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 ¥257

$19.64 LKR 6,552

93.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

-3.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.73 ¥336

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥2,134

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,231

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ¥4,160

$197 LKR 65.9K

211.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥2,230

$153 LKR 51.2K

114.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,780 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 ¥12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ¥8,248

$301 LKR 100.3K

305.76%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 306% 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: $198 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: $693 in Chengdu, $496 in Galle – roughly 40% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Chengdu and $743 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 $693 in Chengdu and $496 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 $496 in Galle to $693 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.