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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $475 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $770 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Kurunegala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kurunegala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kurunegala 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$1.82 LKR 600

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$26.28 LKR 8,690

-25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.45 LKR 1,470

27.42%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.45 LKR 809

-26.12%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.48 LKR 159

60.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.25 LKR 81.8

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.26 LKR 746

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.02 LKR 1,000

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.53 LKR 507

33.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.45 LKR 149

235.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.76 LKR 252

84.21%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.66 LKR 547

36.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$13.08 LKR 4,326

23.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.17 LKR 1,710

-43.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.16 LKR 2,367

31.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$6.90 LKR 2,283

-61.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$0.84 LKR 278

29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$4.41 LKR 1,457

-63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.23 LKR 406

18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.00 LKR 330

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.77 LKR 254

37.66%

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

$10.51 LKR 3,474

-59.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.62 LKR 4,505

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.97 LKR 651

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.91 LKR 962

-0.34%

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

$0.38 LKR 127

207.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.31 LKR 104

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$0.94 LKR 312

154.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.09 LKR 361

33.03%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

-29.70%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-38.73%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$55.2 LKR 18.2K

15.35%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.24 LKR 1,403

204.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$20.58 LKR 6,803

-0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.35 LKR 1,437

51.26%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$38.59 LKR 12.8K

1931.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$1,202 LKR 397.3K

1120.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$20.18 LKR 6,672

173.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$16.45 LKR 5,440

50.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$81.2 LKR 26.9K

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

73.21%

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

$151 LKR 49.9K

298.93%

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 Kurunegala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 299% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Kurunegala. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Kurunegala – so Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Kurunegala, 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 $712 in Kurunegala. 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 Kurunegala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kurunegala, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kurunegala 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. Kurunegala costs $475 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 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.