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 $527 in Kalutara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $865 in Kalutara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,203 in Kalutara, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 62% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.93 LKR 1,253

-50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.04 LKR 7,985

-24.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.48 LKR 2,704

-6.60%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.71 LKR 866

-29.52%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.69 LKR 221

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.41 LKR 129

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.30 LKR 732

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.33 LKR 1,061

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.71 LKR 545

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.52 LKR 167

211.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.80 LKR 256

47.50%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.13 LKR 681

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.90 LKR 4,434

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.72 LKR 1,505

-36.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.81 LKR 2,489

37.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.46 LKR 2,379

-65.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.12 LKR 356

8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$5.82 LKR 1,857

-70.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.19 LKR 381

32.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.16 LKR 371

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.40 LKR 447

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.14 LKR 363

-41.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 LKR 192

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.15 LKR 3,238

-55.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.69 LKR 4,046

43.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.00 LKR 637

-8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.94 LKR 939

9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.41 LKR 132

229.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.32 LKR 103

321.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.62 LKR 197

1230.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.26 LKR 402

0.79%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.6K LKR 8.5M

-20.44%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.9K LKR 11.1M

-35.56%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$59.3 LKR 18.9K

18.40%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.34 LKR 1,385

217.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.85 LKR 4,734

18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$10.16 LKR 3,240

309.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.27 LKR 1,043

76.76%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$37.30 LKR 11.9K

720.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$447 LKR 142.6K

3215.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$27.50 LKR 8,770

97.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.70 LKR 6,282

32.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$69.4 LKR 22.1K

21.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.84 LKR 12.4K

78.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: April 26, 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: $243 vs $255 – 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 62% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $790 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 $527 in Kalutara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $527 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.