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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,174 in Kataragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.98 LKR 1,335

-48.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$24.92 LKR 8,361

-24.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.13 LKR 2,728

-3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.72 LKR 912

-25.37%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.72 LKR 243

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.41 LKR 136

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.27 LKR 762

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.44 LKR 1,155

6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.70 LKR 571

1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.56 LKR 186

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.82 LKR 274

46.34%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.14 LKR 719

-7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.91 LKR 4,667

16.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.61 LKR 1,547

-33.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.91 LKR 2,655

36.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.56 LKR 2,537

-63.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.07 LKR 358

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.76 LKR 1,934

-70.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.24 LKR 417

28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.12 LKR 374

24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.36 LKR 457

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.15 LKR 387

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.59 LKR 198

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-53.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.70 LKR 4,261

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.03 LKR 682

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.86 LKR 961

16.78%

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 130

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.57 LKR 190

1322.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.25 LKR 420

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-18.94%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-36.29%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

16.57%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.29 LKR 1,440

226.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.36 LKR 5,155

16.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.28 LKR 1,101

74.39%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

742.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$448 LKR 150.5K

3173.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$27.70 LKR 9,295

101.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.53 LKR 6,552

33.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

22.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

86.33%

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 Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Kataragama, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $798 in Kataragama. 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 Kataragama. 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 $532 in Kataragama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $532 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 Kataragama. 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.