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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $619 in Kalutara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Kalutara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Kalutara, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Kalutara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalutara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kalutara 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.51 LKR 1,492

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$26.15 LKR 8,646

-25.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.62 LKR 2,519

-25.59%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.55 LKR 844

-29.02%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.73 LKR 241

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 81.8

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.18 LKR 721

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.06 LKR 1,013

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.57 LKR 518

30.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.56 LKR 186

169.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.75 LKR 246

86.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.59 LKR 525

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.33 LKR 4,409

21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.21 LKR 1,722

-44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.42 LKR 2,455

26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.77 LKR 2,239

-60.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.83 LKR 275

31.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.25 LKR 1,407

-61.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.24 LKR 409

17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.03 LKR 341

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.82 LKR 270

29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.88 LKR 289

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.48 LKR 160

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.41 LKR 3,444

-59.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.62 LKR 4,505

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.99 LKR 659

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.78 LKR 919

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.11 LKR 36.64

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$9.38 LKR 3,100

473.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.39 LKR 128

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.17 LKR 56.6

241.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.90 LKR 296

165.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.35 LKR 446

7.41%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

-44.24%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

-34.10%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

13.56%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.25 LKR 1,406

203.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$21.24 LKR 7,023

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$9.06 LKR 2,994

330.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.30 LKR 1,422

53.02%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$37.98 LKR 12.6K

1963.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,235 LKR 408.3K

1088.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.37 LKR 6,735

170.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.56 LKR 5,475

49.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$42.28 LKR 14.0K

74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

234.68%

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 Kalutara: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kalutara. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Kalutara – so Kalutara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51% more than Kalutara, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $928 in Kalutara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $37.98 in Kalutara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalutara, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kalutara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $619 versus $932 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.