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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $542 in Kalutara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $867 in Kalutara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,192 in Kalutara, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kalutara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalutara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kalutara 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.10 LKR 1,376

-50.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$24.95 LKR 8,374

-25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.51 LKR 2,855

-7.64%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.75 LKR 923

-26.18%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.73 LKR 244

9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 LKR 125

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.30 LKR 773

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.40 LKR 1,142

7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.78 LKR 596

-2.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.53 LKR 177

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.81 LKR 272

48.15%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.18 LKR 733

-9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.99 LKR 4,696

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.53 LKR 1,520

-32.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.98 LKR 2,677

35.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.60 LKR 2,551

-63.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.10 LKR 369

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.94 LKR 1,992

-71.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.20 LKR 404

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.16 LKR 389

19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.41 LKR 475

-17.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.14 LKR 384

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.57 LKR 191

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.87 LKR 3,312

-52.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.79 LKR 4,291

39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.01 LKR 674

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.88 LKR 966

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.39 LKR 131

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.35 LKR 119

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.58 LKR 193

1298.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.25 LKR 418

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-18.58%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-37.30%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$60.3 LKR 20.2K

18.23%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.42 LKR 1,482

216.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.93 LKR 5,009

20.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$10.13 LKR 3,398

302.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.41 LKR 1,145

67.74%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.88 LKR 12.4K

735.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$449 LKR 150.8K

3167.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$27.12 LKR 9,100

105.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.32 LKR 6,482

34.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$39.09 LKR 13.1K

81.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kalutara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 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 Kalutara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kalutara, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $812 in Kalutara. 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 Kalutara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $542 in Kalutara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $542 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kalutara. 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.