Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Lat and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Lat and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $702 in Da Lat versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,120 in Da Lat versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,539 in Da Lat versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Da Lat is roughly 27% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Da Lat 48% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ₫56.1K

$2.82 LKR 950

-24.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.41 ₫588.8K

$11.83 LKR 3,988

89.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 ₫162.7K

$6.58 LKR 2,216

-5.93%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ₫41.9K

$2.56 LKR 861

-37.50%

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

$0.96 ₫25.3K

$0.65 LKR 217

47.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₫10.6K

$0.33 LKR 110

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₫46.7K

$2.15 LKR 726

-17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₫62.0K

$3.43 LKR 1,154

-31.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫39.4K

$1.40 LKR 472

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$0.52 LKR 175

136.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.4K

$0.85 LKR 287

36.47%

Eggs

$1.64 ₫43.2K

$2.19 LKR 737

-25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 ₫199.7K

$8.48 LKR 2,859

-10.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 ₫104.5K

$4.64 LKR 1,565

-14.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.35 ₫114.2K

$8.15 LKR 2,746

-46.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 ₫112.9K

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₫48.1K

$1.02 LKR 345

79.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 ₫84.1K

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.1K

$1.21 LKR 408

32.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₫47.8K

$1.16 LKR 390

56.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ₫40.9K

$1.30 LKR 439

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₫18.6K

$0.74 LKR 248

-4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₫16.7K

$0.55 LKR 186

16.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.70 ₫44.6K

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-81.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 ₫208.2K

$11.32 LKR 3,815

-30.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₫19.4K

$1.99 LKR 671

-62.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₫56.5K

$2.77 LKR 934

-22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₫9,491

$0.17 LKR 58.1

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 ₫169.0K

$14.86 LKR 5,009

-56.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$0.39 LKR 130

41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₫18.5K

$0.33 LKR 110

112.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 ₫71.0K

$0.44 LKR 148

513.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 ₫26.0K

$1.25 LKR 423

-20.80%

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

$35.6K ₫936.1M

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

98.56%

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

$31.6K ₫829.9M

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

48.88%

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

$39.88 ₫1.0M

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

-2.30%

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

$4.19 ₫110.0K

$4.26 LKR 1,437

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.16 ₫398.1K

$15.41 LKR 5,194

-1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.32 ₫560.1K

$14.86 LKR 5,006

43.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 ₫203.2K

$5.62 LKR 1,895

37.54%

Cinema Ticket

$1.88 ₫49.3K

$3.33 LKR 1,122

-43.54%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

616.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫306.1M

$328 LKR 110.5K

3453.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 ₫1.1M

$27.01 LKR 9,102

51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.00 ₫604.2K

$14.32 LKR 4,826

60.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

54.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 ₫2.0M

$29.20 LKR 9,841

157.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 ₫7.3M

$131 LKR 44.3K

112.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₫6.6M

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

199.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₫16.4M

$217 LKR 73.0K

188.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₫12.2M

$160 LKR 53.8K

191.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 LKR 135.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 LKR 132.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 ₫11.3M

$260 LKR 87.6K

65.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-39.33%

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

Last update for Da Lat: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Da Lat and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Da Lat pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Da Lat vs $12.00 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $207, with Da Lat cheaper for home cooking.

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

Da Lat vs Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Lat and Kandy differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($702 vs $551 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Da Lat pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $279 in Da Lat versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kandy – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $22.00 in Da Lat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $702 per month in Da Lat versus $551 in Kandy – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kandy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Da Lat and Kandy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Da Lat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.