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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $498 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $830 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,162 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 90% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Anuradhapura 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.45 LKR 1,460

-53.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$24.30 LKR 7,973

-19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.71 LKR 2,530

-26.72%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.41 LKR 790

-24.90%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.75 LKR 244

-5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.25 LKR 81.1

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.28 LKR 748

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.97 LKR 975

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.68 LKR 551

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.57 LKR 188

163.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.80 LKR 263

67.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.63 LKR 535

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$13.09 LKR 4,295

24.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.98 LKR 1,634

-40.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.29 LKR 2,391

36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$6.93 LKR 2,272

-62.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.88 LKR 287

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$4.26 LKR 1,396

-62.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.25 LKR 410

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.01 LKR 331

25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.80 LKR 263

33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.90 LKR 294

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.45 LKR 147

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$10.54 LKR 3,458

-60.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$13.82 LKR 4,534

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.92 LKR 629

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.77 LKR 909

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.42 LKR 137

192.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.35 LKR 114

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$0.89 LKR 293

171.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.34 LKR 439

5.22%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-29.61%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-35.96%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

19.79%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.28 LKR 1,405

200.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.72 LKR 6,796

-2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.49 LKR 1,473

50.11%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

1907.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

1116.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.20 LKR 6,627

168.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$16.92 LKR 5,553

50.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

18.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

70.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Anuradhapura – so Anuradhapura wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $947 in Chiang Mai, $498 in Anuradhapura – roughly 90% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $747 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $498, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $498 in Anuradhapura to $947 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.