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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.91 LKR 1,296

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.39 LKR 8,419

-26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-7.02%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.63 LKR 871

-25.86%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.69 LKR 229

23.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.38 LKR 125

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.38 LKR 791

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.39 LKR 1,125

10.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.72 LKR 572

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 LKR 186

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.85 LKR 283

34.12%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.22 LKR 736

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.83 LKR 4,587

17.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.69 LKR 1,555

-33.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.02 LKR 2,659

35.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-62.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.11 LKR 368

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-72.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.24 LKR 411

28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.10 LKR 364

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.42 LKR 471

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.15 LKR 382

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 LKR 200

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-53.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$12.77 LKR 4,236

46.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.07 LKR 685

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.87 LKR 953

12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.39 LKR 128

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.35 LKR 117

268.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.56 LKR 186

1300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.20 LKR 396

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-21.40%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-37.00%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$26.43 LKR 8,764

161.33%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$3.25 LKR 1,079

333.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.92 LKR 4,948

20.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.29 LKR 1,090

79.94%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

718.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$439 LKR 145.7K

3303.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$28.02 LKR 9,292

95.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.62 LKR 6,504

36.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

81.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $257 – 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: $866 in Chiang Mai, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 77% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $734 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 $19.00 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 4% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $489 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $866 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.