Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 74% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.03 LKR 1,355

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.97 LKR 8,391

-26.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.21 LKR 2,761

-8.89%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.73 LKR 919

-26.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.72 LKR 244

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.40 LKR 135

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.28 LKR 765

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.38 LKR 1,134

6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.71 LKR 573

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.55 LKR 185

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.80 LKR 270

48.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.23 LKR 750

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.26 LKR 4,792

13.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.72 LKR 1,587

-36.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.28 LKR 2,782

32.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-64.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.08 LKR 363

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-70.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.20 LKR 402

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.11 LKR 374

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.40 LKR 472

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.16 LKR 389

-42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.56 LKR 188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-53.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.49 LKR 4,197

41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.09 LKR 703

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.87 LKR 963

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.39 LKR 130

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.36 LKR 120

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.61 LKR 206

1245.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.21 LKR 407

0.83%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-21.28%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-35.68%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$27.06 LKR 9,094

161.16%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.41 LKR 1,147

311.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$15.08 LKR 5,068

15.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.41 LKR 1,146

73.61%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

725.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$447 LKR 150.3K

3226.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.71 LKR 9,312

101.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.27 LKR 6,476

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

17.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

81.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-69.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $258 – making Chiang Mai 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

Chiang Mai vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 74% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $744 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $496 in Anuradhapura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Anuradhapura to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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