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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in Kalutara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $868 in Kalutara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,196 in Kalutara, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kalutara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalutara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kalutara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.93 LKR 1,308

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$25.58 LKR 8,517

-28.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.35 LKR 2,780

-5.75%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.66 LKR 886

-26.69%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.72 LKR 241

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.37 LKR 124

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.29 LKR 762

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.32 LKR 1,107

10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.75 LKR 584

-5.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.56 LKR 187

178.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$0.82 LKR 273

45.12%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.14 LKR 712

-7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$14.15 LKR 4,711

14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$4.59 LKR 1,529

-30.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$7.84 LKR 2,612

38.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$7.37 LKR 2,455

-64.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.11 LKR 370

9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$5.66 LKR 1,885

-70.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.24 LKR 414

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.16 LKR 387

14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.42 LKR 472

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.15 LKR 383

-40.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.60 LKR 201

-5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$10.25 LKR 3,413

-54.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$12.98 LKR 4,322

30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.11 LKR 702

-13.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.88 LKR 959

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.38 LKR 127

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.33 LKR 108

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$0.57 LKR 190

1328.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.24 LKR 413

3.23%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-18.70%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$34.6K LKR 11.5M

-35.23%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$59.2 LKR 19.7K

19.05%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$4.21 LKR 1,402

233.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$14.97 LKR 4,985

17.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$9.92 LKR 3,303

316.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$3.32 LKR 1,105

79.52%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$36.60 LKR 12.2K

727.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$442 LKR 147.2K

3284.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$27.75 LKR 9,241

97.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$19.68 LKR 6,553

33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$38.14 LKR 12.7K

82.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kalutara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $809 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Kalutara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $539 in Kalutara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $539 versus $848 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.