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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $526 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $851 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,177 in Ragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$3.92 LKR 1,240

-50.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$25.21 LKR 7,978

-26.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$8.54 LKR 2,703

-12.18%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.73 LKR 865

-29.30%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.74 LKR 233

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.40 LKR 127

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.32 LKR 734

-7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.26 LKR 1,032

13.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.58 LKR 501

8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.53 LKR 168

194.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.75 LKR 238

57.33%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.19 LKR 694

-9.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$14.03 LKR 4,441

14.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$4.64 LKR 1,468

-31.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.93 LKR 2,509

37.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$7.69 LKR 2,433

-65.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.07 LKR 340

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$5.69 LKR 1,801

-71.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.26 LKR 399

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.11 LKR 351

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.18 LKR 375

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.16 LKR 367

-43.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.61 LKR 192

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$10.10 LKR 3,198

-55.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$12.87 LKR 4,073

42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.00 LKR 632

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.96 LKR 936

7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.39 LKR 123

261.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.35 LKR 111

274.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$0.56 LKR 178

1344.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.26 LKR 400

1.59%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

-21.94%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

-37.53%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

17.27%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$4.43 LKR 1,404

215.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$15.40 LKR 4,875

16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$3.45 LKR 1,091

71.59%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

700.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$440 LKR 139.4K

3272.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$27.22 LKR 8,616

106.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$19.32 LKR 6,116

39.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

83.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ragama: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $0 in Ragama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $25 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 61% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $789 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 $18.00 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $526 in Ragama, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ragama costs $526 versus $845 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.