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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $789 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $904 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,020 in Bentota.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 18% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bentota 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.50 LKR 1,489

-53.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$12.05 LKR 3,985

62.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.63 LKR 2,524

-25.69%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.41 LKR 796

-24.90%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.69 LKR 229

11.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.27 LKR 90.0

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.26 LKR 747

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.08 LKR 1,019

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.56 LKR 516

31.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.53 LKR 177

184.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.76 LKR 253

84.21%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.68 LKR 554

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.30 LKR 4,398

21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.37 LKR 1,116

-13.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$4.65 LKR 1,536

102.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.75 LKR 2,231

-60.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.73 LKR 240

49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.22 LKR 1,397

-61.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$0.94 LKR 310

55.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.00 LKR 332

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.74 LKR 246

43.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.95 LKR 313

-24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.49 LKR 161

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-59.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.66 LKR 4,517

33.89%

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

$2.89 LKR 955

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.16 LKR 53.3

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.42 LKR 138

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.31 LKR 104

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.96 LKR 316

148.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.30 LKR 429

11.54%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-30.08%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-38.08%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

14.27%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$2.25 LKR 743

472.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.04 LKR 2,988

126.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.51 LKR 1,491

45.90%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

1941.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

1099.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.45 LKR 6,761

169.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$17.04 LKR 5,635

45.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$547 LKR 180.9K

-10.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$309 LKR 102.2K

-6.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Bentota: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $547 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $218 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $1,183 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $547 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $789 in Bentota – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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 Bentota 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.