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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $840 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,167 in Kataragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kataragama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.33 LKR 1,431

-51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$25.82 LKR 8,537

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.48 LKR 2,475

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.54 LKR 841

-28.74%

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

$0.27 LKR 89.8

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.19 LKR 724

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.03 LKR 1,001

25.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.57 LKR 519

30.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 LKR 188

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.79 LKR 261

77.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.60 LKR 530

41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.41 LKR 4,435

20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.24 LKR 2,395

30.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.97 LKR 2,306

-61.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.90 LKR 297

21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.20 LKR 1,388

-61.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.24 LKR 410

17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.02 LKR 337

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.76 LKR 253

39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.90 LKR 297

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.49 LKR 161

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$10.45 LKR 3,455

-59.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.91 LKR 4,598

31.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.90 LKR 628

-14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.80 LKR 925

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.42 LKR 138

178.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.38 LKR 127

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.92 LKR 306

159.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.32 LKR 438

9.85%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

-31.89%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

-37.67%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

13.08%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.22 LKR 1,394

205.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$21.22 LKR 7,016

-3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.41 LKR 1,457

49.21%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

1919.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

1092.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.01 LKR 6,616

175.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.47 LKR 5,447

50.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

71.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

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 Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $239 in Kataragama – so Kataragama 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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kataragama, 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 $771 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Kataragama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kataragama 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. Kataragama costs $514 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 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.