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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $538 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $877 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,217 in Badulla.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 73% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Badulla 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.49 LKR 1,484

-53.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.54 LKR 8,445

-23.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.77 LKR 2,570

-27.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.48 LKR 820

-27.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.68 LKR 226

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 82.4

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.27 LKR 749

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.95 LKR 976

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.58 LKR 524

29.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.54 LKR 178

179.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.67 LKR 222

108.96%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.63 LKR 539

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.02 LKR 4,306

24.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.73 LKR 1,233

-22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.36 LKR 2,434

27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.69 LKR 2,213

-59.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.83 LKR 274

31.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.22 LKR 1,396

-61.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.23 LKR 408

18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.99 LKR 326

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.80 LKR 265

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.87 LKR 289

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.45 LKR 150

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.42 LKR 3,445

-59.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.52 LKR 4,469

35.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.89 LKR 625

-13.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.87 LKR 948

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.39 LKR 128

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.35 LKR 115

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.88 LKR 292

171.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.33 LKR 439

9.02%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

-42.57%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

-34.27%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

14.85%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.12 LKR 1,361

212.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$20.83 LKR 6,888

-1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.32 LKR 1,427

52.31%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

1924.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

1085.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$19.84 LKR 6,561

177.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.62 LKR 5,494

48.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

74.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

549.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

522.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

476.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

-56.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$762 LKR 251.9K

89.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$228 LKR 75.4K

163.65%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $75.5 in Badulla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 164% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in Badulla. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $227, with Badulla cheaper for home cooking.

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 Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 164% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $75.5 in Badulla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $38.72 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Badulla versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Badulla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.