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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $534 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $867 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,201 in Ragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$4.06 LKR 1,369

-51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$25.46 LKR 8,582

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$8.28 LKR 2,790

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.76 LKR 929

-30.43%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.73 LKR 247

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.38 LKR 128

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.38 LKR 802

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.44 LKR 1,161

6.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.63 LKR 551

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$0.53 LKR 178

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$0.75 LKR 254

58.67%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.13 LKR 717

-6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$14.01 LKR 4,720

14.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.60 LKR 1,550

-34.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.90 LKR 2,662

37.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-62.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.10 LKR 372

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-70.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$1.25 LKR 421

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$1.16 LKR 392

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.19 LKR 400

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.20 LKR 404

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 LKR 201

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-54.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$12.58 LKR 4,240

31.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$2.02 LKR 682

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$2.94 LKR 992

8.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.41 LKR 138

231.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.32 LKR 109

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$0.56 LKR 189

1300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.21 LKR 407

1.65%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

-18.66%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-35.35%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

16.29%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$4.27 LKR 1,438

220.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$15.07 LKR 5,079

15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$3.38 LKR 1,138

70.71%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

739.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$444 LKR 149.7K

3188.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$27.18 LKR 9,159

105.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$19.47 LKR 6,561

34.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

89.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

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 Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Ragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Ragama, 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 $800 in Ragama. 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 Ragama. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $534 in Ragama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ragama costs $534 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 Ragama. 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.