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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $454 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $756 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Kurunegala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kurunegala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kurunegala 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.89 LKR 603

3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$24.68 LKR 7,870

-23.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.14 LKR 1,639

54.09%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.73 LKR 869

-30.04%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.43 LKR 137

95.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.38 LKR 120

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.97 LKR 628

12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.95 LKR 939

28.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.62 LKR 518

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.48 LKR 153

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.87 LKR 277

35.63%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.21 LKR 703

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.83 LKR 4,411

14.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.71 LKR 1,501

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.01 LKR 2,553

34.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$7.69 LKR 2,454

-66.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.12 LKR 357

8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$5.76 LKR 1,836

-70.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.20 LKR 383

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.15 LKR 367

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.40 LKR 447

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.20 LKR 383

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 LKR 192

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$10.22 LKR 3,259

-55.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$12.52 LKR 3,992

45.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.06 LKR 659

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.93 LKR 935

10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.34 LKR 110

161.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.41 LKR 131

229.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 LKR 104

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$0.61 LKR 194

1252.46%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

-19.62%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.5K LKR 11.0M

-34.81%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$27.05 LKR 8,627

159.33%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$2.05 LKR 653

571.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.27 LKR 4,871

15.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$8.13 LKR 2,592

411.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$1.36 LKR 435

325.00%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$37.06 LKR 11.8K

726.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$438 LKR 139.7K

3283.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$11.87 LKR 3,786

358.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.73 LKR 6,292

32.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$43.22 LKR 13.8K

95.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.08 LKR 12.1K

82.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$102 LKR 32.5K

315.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$203 LKR 64.7K

306.67%

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

$156 LKR 49.7K

307.46%

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 Kurunegala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Kurunegala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 307% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Kurunegala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $256 – 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Kurunegala, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $680 in Kurunegala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kurunegala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Kurunegala. 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $454 in Kurunegala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kurunegala costs $454 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 Kurunegala. 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.