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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $691 per month in Chengdu vs $493 in Galle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Chengdu vs $899 in Galle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Chengdu vs $1,306 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

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.95 LKR 987

-3.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.43 ¥158

$25.61 LKR 8,580

-8.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ¥33.38

$7.84 LKR 2,626

-36.99%

Cappuccino

$2.79 ¥18.86

$2.71 LKR 909

2.95%

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

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.74 LKR 247

-41.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.41 LKR 137

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$2.31 LKR 776

-50.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.24

$2.97 LKR 994

-28.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.79 LKR 600

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.78

$0.32 LKR 106

353.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.17

$0.82 LKR 274

10.98%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.98

$1.91 LKR 641

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.0

$14.18 LKR 4,750

-3.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.67

$4.63 LKR 1,553

-21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ¥77.1

$8.16 LKR 2,735

39.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.41

$7.28 LKR 2,440

-74.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.31

$0.93 LKR 313

32.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 ¥9.72

$5.67 LKR 1,901

-74.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.19

$1.20 LKR 403

-11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.80

$1.12 LKR 374

-36.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.74

$1.43 LKR 479

-51.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$1.16 LKR 388

-48.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.43 LKR 143

32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥22.94

$9.91 LKR 3,320

-65.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.74

$9.10 LKR 3,051

-40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.37

$2.02 LKR 677

-53.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥12.72

$2.85 LKR 955

-34.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.19 LKR 65.2

126.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 ¥188

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$0.35 LKR 116

248.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.33 LKR 110

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥28.88

$0.61 LKR 204

601.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$1.25 LKR 418

-10.40%

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

$18.7K ¥126.0K

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

-31.61%

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

$16.7K ¥112.5K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-52.37%

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

$44.08 ¥298

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

-27.51%

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

$11.44 ¥77.3

$4.30 LKR 1,440

166.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.59 ¥78.3

$13.18 LKR 4,416

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 ¥161

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ¥78.3

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ¥36.68

$3.33 LKR 1,115

63.06%

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

$342 ¥2,311

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

823.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.0K

$433 LKR 145.2K

2735.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.64 ¥247

$27.42 LKR 9,186

33.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.88 ¥263

$19.08 LKR 6,393

103.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 ¥449

$69.7 LKR 23.3K

-4.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 ¥347

$38.65 LKR 12.9K

33.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,096

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,217

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,128

$192 LKR 64.3K

218.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥2,188

$149 LKR 49.9K

117.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,258 ¥8,496

$305 LKR 102.1K

312.65%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Galle: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 313% 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 $23.00 in Chengdu versus $26.00 in Galle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $243 – 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: $691 in Chengdu, $493 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 $1,037 per month in Chengdu and $739 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 $23.00 in Chengdu and $26.00 in Galle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% 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 $691 in Chengdu and $493 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 $493 in Galle to $691 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.