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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $519 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,203 in Ragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$4.07 LKR 1,363

-49.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$24.91 LKR 8,346

-24.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.51 LKR 2,850

-7.64%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.63 LKR 880

-22.81%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.73 LKR 245

9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.38 LKR 126

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.32 LKR 777

-7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.32 LKR 1,112

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.58 LKR 528

9.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.56 LKR 189

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.73 LKR 243

64.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.11 LKR 706

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$14.22 LKR 4,765

14.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.54 LKR 1,523

-32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$8.20 LKR 2,747

31.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$7.41 LKR 2,482

-62.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.12 LKR 376

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$5.81 LKR 1,948

-70.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.24 LKR 416

28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.16 LKR 388

19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.24 LKR 416

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.15 LKR 386

-42.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.55 LKR 186

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$10.07 LKR 3,373

-53.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$12.44 LKR 4,167

42.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$2.10 LKR 705

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.98 LKR 999

12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.38 LKR 129

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.35 LKR 118

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$0.57 LKR 191

1322.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.26 LKR 423

-2.38%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-18.37%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-36.10%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

20.04%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$4.29 LKR 1,437

226.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$14.96 LKR 5,013

19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.36 LKR 1,127

70.24%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

722.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$445 LKR 149.1K

3198.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$27.07 LKR 9,070

106.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$19.30 LKR 6,467

34.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

81.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Ragama: July 26, 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: $244 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 64% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $779 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 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $519 in Ragama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ragama costs $519 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 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.