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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $523 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,189 in Kataragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kataragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.93 LKR 1,310

-49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$24.89 LKR 8,303

-24.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.17 LKR 2,725

-5.14%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.64 LKR 882

-27.27%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 LKR 229

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.41 LKR 136

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.31 LKR 770

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.45 LKR 1,149

6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.71 LKR 572

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.56 LKR 187

191.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.85 LKR 284

40.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.23 LKR 742

-10.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.81 LKR 4,608

15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.75 LKR 1,585

-36.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.10 LKR 2,703

34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.46 LKR 2,489

-63.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.08 LKR 359

9.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.84 LKR 1,948

-71.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.26 LKR 419

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.11 LKR 372

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.42 LKR 474

-16.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.18 LKR 395

-40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.57 LKR 189

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$10.10 LKR 3,369

-54.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.46 LKR 4,156

32.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.03 LKR 677

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.97 LKR 992

7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.42 LKR 139

223.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.35 LKR 117

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.62 LKR 206

1164.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.20 LKR 399

2.50%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-18.63%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-35.54%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

16.46%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.21 LKR 1,405

224.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.13 LKR 5,046

15.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.41 LKR 1,137

69.21%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$37.56 LKR 12.5K

717.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$449 LKR 149.6K

3157.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$27.99 LKR 9,335

99.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$19.33 LKR 6,447

35.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.5 LKR 23.5K

21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$38.43 LKR 12.8K

87.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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 7, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: June 9, 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: $241 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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $785 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 7% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $523 in Kataragama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $523 versus $869 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.