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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $515 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $835 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Ragama, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ragama 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.41 LKR 1,448

-52.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$26.20 LKR 8,610

-24.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.64 LKR 2,509

-24.21%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.54 LKR 834

-27.95%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.69 LKR 226

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.27 LKR 88.7

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.25 LKR 740

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.12 LKR 1,026

18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.43 LKR 468

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.51 LKR 166

213.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.69 LKR 226

105.80%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.66 LKR 546

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.16 LKR 4,324

20.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.94 LKR 1,622

-37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.23 LKR 2,376

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-60.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.89 LKR 294

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-62.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.24 LKR 408

23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.04 LKR 343

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.80 LKR 262

41.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.88 LKR 290

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.46 LKR 151

8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-59.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$13.56 LKR 4,457

32.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.00 LKR 656

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.77 LKR 909

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.39 LKR 128

215.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.39 LKR 127

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$0.92 LKR 303

160.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.35 LKR 443

6.67%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-29.28%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-34.45%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

19.44%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$4.16 LKR 1,366

220.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.62 LKR 6,776

1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.49 LKR 1,477

49.44%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

1932.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

1117.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$20.02 LKR 6,577

180.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$16.51 LKR 5,424

51.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

80.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Ragama. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Ragama – so Ragama wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 85% more than Ragama, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $773 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Ragama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ragama, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Ragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ragama costs $515 versus $950 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.