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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Chiang Mai versus $505 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Chiang Mai versus $825 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,864 in Chiang Mai versus $1,144 in Beruwala.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 79% more expensive than in Beruwala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Beruwala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$4.32 LKR 1,429

-50.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿652

$24.61 LKR 8,144

-21.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$7.50 LKR 2,483

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.42 LKR 801

-30.58%

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

$0.66 ฿22.18

$0.73 LKR 243

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

$0.25 LKR 81.8

36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$2.19 LKR 724

10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$3.09 LKR 1,023

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$1.63 LKR 538

26.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.95

$0.53 LKR 177

175.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.25

$0.76 LKR 251

77.63%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$1.57 LKR 519

44.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$13.68 LKR 4,526

19.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$5.01 LKR 1,658

-46.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$7.23 LKR 2,393

27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$6.94 LKR 2,298

-65.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.78

$0.79 LKR 261

31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$4.61 LKR 1,524

-65.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.54

$1.27 LKR 419

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.75

$1.00 LKR 330

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.43

$0.82 LKR 270

35.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.64

$0.95 LKR 315

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.05

$0.47 LKR 156

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$10.33 LKR 3,418

-60.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

$13.77 LKR 4,557

29.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.97 LKR 651

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.4

$3.05 LKR 1,008

-5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,786

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.96

$0.38 LKR 124

221.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.88

$0.38 LKR 125

47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$0.90 LKR 297

156.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.35 LKR 445

11.11%

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

$20.9K ฿700.8K

$36.4K LKR 12.0M

-42.70%

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

$26.7K ฿898.3K

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-34.11%

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

$54.2 LKR 17.9K

13.11%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$4.21 LKR 1,392

196.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$20.75 LKR 6,866

-1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,275

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$4.46 LKR 1,477

47.98%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$37.96 LKR 12.6K

1938.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿485.0K

$1,202 LKR 397.6K

1101.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,841

$18.02 LKR 5,963

204.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿849

$16.67 LKR 5,516

51.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,043

$78.1 LKR 25.8K

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,461

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

71.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,871

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$152 LKR 50.4K

288.86%

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 289% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Beruwala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $240 per month, with Chiang Mai 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 Beruwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beruwala is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 289% 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.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $906 per month in Chiang Mai versus $505 in Beruwala – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $505 in Beruwala versus $906 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beruwala but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Beruwala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Beruwala 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 Beruwala 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 Beruwala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.