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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $445 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $745 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,044 in Kurunegala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 95% more than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kurunegala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kurunegala 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.97 LKR 658

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$25.57 LKR 8,530

-26.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.14 LKR 1,713

50.78%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.74 LKR 913

-29.93%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.40 LKR 133

97.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.37 LKR 125

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.98 LKR 659

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.90 LKR 969

26.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.65 LKR 549

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 LKR 171

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.81 LKR 270

46.91%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.19 LKR 730

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.25 LKR 4,752

12.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.73 LKR 1,577

-35.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.27 LKR 2,760

31.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$7.33 LKR 2,445

-62.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.07 LKR 355

10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$5.71 LKR 1,903

-71.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.21 LKR 403

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.16 LKR 386

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.41 LKR 472

-15.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.15 LKR 385

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.55 LKR 184

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$10.16 LKR 3,389

-54.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$12.66 LKR 4,223

30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.02 LKR 674

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.87 LKR 958

11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.31 LKR 105

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.41 LKR 138

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 LKR 109

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.58 LKR 192

1251.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.20 LKR 401

2.50%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-19.62%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-35.86%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$26.57 LKR 8,864

165.49%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$1.97 LKR 657

594.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.05 LKR 5,021

15.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$8.43 LKR 2,812

390.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$1.37 LKR 456

321.17%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$37.39 LKR 12.5K

721.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$436 LKR 145.5K

3248.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$11.82 LKR 3,942

372.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$19.06 LKR 6,359

37.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$44.04 LKR 14.7K

94.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$39.34 LKR 13.1K

83.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$98.7 LKR 32.9K

335.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$199 LKR 66.3K

311.48%

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

$147 LKR 48.9K

321.80%

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 Kurunegala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $98.7 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 322% 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 $26.00 in Kurunegala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 95% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $668 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 $26.00 in Kurunegala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $445 in Kurunegala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kurunegala costs $445 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 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.