Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $496 per month in Galle vs $693 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $908 per month in Galle vs $1,102 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,320 per month in Galle vs $1,511 in Chengdu, rent included.

Galle is about 29% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Galle and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Galle 63% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 LKR 1,012

$2.71 ¥18.34

11.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 LKR 8,451

$23.62 ¥160

7.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 LKR 2,685

$5.01 ¥33.85

60.68%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 885

$2.85 ¥19.31

-7.02%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.43 ¥2.90

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.30 ¥2.04

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 763

$1.14 ¥7.71

100.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 990

$2.06 ¥13.92

44.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 596

$1.76 ¥11.93

1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LKR 115

$1.45 ¥9.78

-76.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 268

$0.86 ¥5.79

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.99 LKR 663

$1.87 ¥12.61

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 LKR 4,651

$13.91 ¥94.1

0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 LKR 1,576

$3.65 ¥24.71

29.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 LKR 2,694

$11.38 ¥77.0

-29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$7.53 LKR 2,510

$1.83 ¥12.41

311.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 297

$1.21 ¥8.20

-26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 LKR 1,908

$1.52 ¥10.25

276.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.06 ¥7.18

18.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$0.70 ¥4.74

62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 473

$0.75 ¥5.05

89.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 397

$0.56 ¥3.79

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.61 ¥4.10

-24.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 LKR 3,300

$3.36 ¥22.73

194.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 LKR 3,035

$5.42 ¥36.65

67.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 692

$0.99 ¥6.70

110.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 950

$1.87 ¥12.65

52.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.1

$0.41 ¥2.74

-58.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.48 ¥186

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.22 ¥8.24

-73.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.26 ¥1.75

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 189

$4.28 ¥28.98

-86.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$1.13 ¥7.62

11.50%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$18.8K ¥127.3K

41.09%

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

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

$16.4K ¥110.8K

116.47%

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

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

$43.99 ¥297

35.62%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,426

$11.52 ¥77.9

-62.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.33 LKR 4,446

$11.69 ¥79.1

14.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.22 ¥164

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.33 ¥76.6

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,105

$5.73 ¥38.75

-42.23%

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

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

$338 ¥2,284

-89.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 149.2K

$12.2K ¥82.7K

-96.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.02 LKR 9,013

$37.79 ¥256

-28.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.64 LKR 6,552

$37.95 ¥257

-48.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

$67.4 ¥456

3.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

$49.73 ¥336

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 ¥2,134

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,231

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 65.9K

$615 ¥4,160

-67.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 LKR 51.2K

$330 ¥2,230

-53.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,780 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 ¥12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 LKR 100.3K

$1,220 ¥8,248

-75.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

4.21

290.74%

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

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 306% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Galle versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $198 – making Chengdu 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

Galle vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $496 in Galle, $693 in Chengdu – roughly 40% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $743 per month in Galle and $1,040 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Galle and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Chengdu – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $496 in Galle and $693 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Galle has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Galle to $693 in Chengdu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Galle. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.