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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $493 per month in Galle vs $691 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Galle vs $1,088 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in Galle vs $1,484 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

$2.95 LKR 987

$2.84 ¥19.17

3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.61 LKR 8,580

$23.43 ¥158

9.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LKR 2,626

$4.94 ¥33.38

58.70%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.79 ¥18.86

-2.87%

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

$0.74 LKR 247

$0.43 ¥2.94

72.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.30 ¥2.03

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 776

$1.14 ¥7.68

102.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 994

$2.11 ¥14.24

40.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 600

$1.79 ¥12.12

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.45 ¥9.78

-77.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$0.91 ¥6.17

-9.89%

Eggs

$1.91 LKR 641

$1.92 ¥12.98

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 LKR 4,750

$13.62 ¥92.0

4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,553

$3.65 ¥24.67

26.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 LKR 2,735

$11.42 ¥77.1

-28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$7.28 LKR 2,440

$1.84 ¥12.41

295.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 313

$1.23 ¥8.31

-24.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,901

$1.44 ¥9.72

293.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.06 ¥7.19

13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$0.71 ¥4.80

57.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 479

$0.70 ¥4.74

104.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.60 ¥4.02

93.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 LKR 143

$0.57 ¥3.84

-24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 LKR 3,320

$3.40 ¥22.94

191.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 LKR 3,051

$5.44 ¥36.74

67.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 677

$0.94 ¥6.37

114.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 955

$1.88 ¥12.72

51.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 65.2

$0.43 ¥2.92

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 ¥188

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.22 ¥8.25

-71.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.28 ¥1.91

17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$4.28 ¥28.88

-85.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 418

$1.12 ¥7.56

11.61%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

$18.7K ¥126.0K

46.23%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$16.7K ¥112.5K

109.94%

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

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

$44.08 ¥298

37.95%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,440

$11.44 ¥77.3

-62.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.18 LKR 4,416

$11.59 ¥78.3

13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.88 ¥161

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ¥78.3

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,115

$5.43 ¥36.68

-38.67%

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

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

$342 ¥2,311

-89.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 145.2K

$12.3K ¥83.0K

-96.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.42 LKR 9,186

$36.64 ¥247

-25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.08 LKR 6,393

$38.88 ¥263

-50.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 LKR 23.3K

$66.4 ¥449

4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.65 LKR 12.9K

$51.5 ¥347

-24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,096

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,217

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 LKR 64.3K

$611 ¥4,128

-68.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 LKR 49.9K

$324 ¥2,188

-53.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 ¥25.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 LKR 102.1K

$1,258 ¥8,496

-75.77%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 313% 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 $26.00 in Galle versus $23.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $197 – 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: $493 in Galle, $691 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 $739 per month in Galle and $1,037 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 $26.00 in Galle and $23.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% 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 $493 in Galle and $691 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 $493 in Galle to $691 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.