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 $447 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $745 in Kurunegala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,043 in Kurunegala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 91% 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.91 LKR 641

6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$25.33 LKR 8,500

-26.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.91 LKR 1,648

60.08%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.72 LKR 913

-25.37%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.43 LKR 144

86.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 LKR 125

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.97 LKR 662

8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.96 LKR 992

23.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.63 LKR 547

6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.48 LKR 161

227.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.88 LKR 295

36.36%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.21 LKR 742

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.94 LKR 4,679

16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.74 LKR 1,592

-35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.84 LKR 2,630

37.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$7.29 LKR 2,448

-62.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.07 LKR 358

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$5.69 LKR 1,908

-69.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.26 LKR 424

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.11 LKR 372

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.43 LKR 479

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.15 LKR 387

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.56 LKR 189

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.11 LKR 3,392

-54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$12.60 LKR 4,229

41.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.99 LKR 669

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.83 LKR 950

18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.31 LKR 106

193.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.38 LKR 129

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 LKR 110

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$0.61 LKR 204

1229.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.25 LKR 418

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

-21.38%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.1K LKR 11.5M

-36.07%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$26.32 LKR 8,832

171.01%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$1.96 LKR 657

614.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.79 LKR 4,962

21.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$8.54 LKR 2,867

377.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$1.36 LKR 456

320.59%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.93 LKR 12.4K

734.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$433 LKR 145.4K

3286.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$11.78 LKR 3,952

373.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$19.46 LKR 6,530

33.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$43.91 LKR 14.7K

93.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$37.99 LKR 12.7K

86.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$102 LKR 34.3K

314.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$204 LKR 68.4K

291.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$149 LKR 50.2K

298.11%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 298% 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: $244 vs $253 – 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 91% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $670 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 4% 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 $447 in Kurunegala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kurunegala costs $447 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.