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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $510 per month in Galle vs $670 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $912 per month in Galle vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,314 per month in Galle vs $1,478 in Chengdu, rent included.

Galle is about 24% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Galle and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Galle 62% lower, Chengdu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 LKR 970

$2.84 ¥19.42

7.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 7,978

$24.02 ¥165

4.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 LKR 2,557

$4.78 ¥32.72

67.99%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 864

$2.77 ¥19.01

-2.17%

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

$0.73 LKR 234

$0.43 ¥2.95

69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.30 ¥2.08

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 738

$1.13 ¥7.75

105.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 944

$2.04 ¥13.97

45.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 544

$1.82 ¥12.45

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 LKR 110

$1.45 ¥9.92

-75.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 277

$0.92 ¥6.32

-5.43%

Eggs

$1.90 LKR 604

$1.94 ¥13.28

-2.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 LKR 4,508

$13.50 ¥92.5

4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,528

$3.52 ¥24.11

36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,499

$11.22 ¥76.8

-30.12%

Apples (1kg)

$7.51 LKR 2,394

$1.92 ¥13.16

291.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 282

$1.23 ¥8.39

-28.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,863

$1.49 ¥10.24

292.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 388

$1.08 ¥7.40

12.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 351

$0.69 ¥4.75

59.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 439

$0.71 ¥4.84

94.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.56 ¥3.84

110.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 135

$0.60 ¥4.14

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,172

$3.39 ¥23.21

193.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 LKR 3,088

$5.58 ¥38.20

73.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 636

$1.00 ¥6.88

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 923

$1.79 ¥12.26

62.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 54.6

$0.43 ¥2.96

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.53 ¥189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 102

$1.28 ¥8.79

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$0.26 ¥1.77

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$4.26 ¥29.16

-86.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 388

$1.18 ¥8.07

3.39%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$18.7K ¥127.9K

41.97%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$16.3K ¥111.9K

115.75%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

$43.81 ¥300

37.98%

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

$4.45 LKR 1,417

$11.49 ¥78.7

-61.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.51 LKR 4,304

$11.73 ¥80.3

15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.26 ¥166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 ¥77.2

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,043

$5.73 ¥39.23

-42.93%

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

$36.53 LKR 11.6K

$340 ¥2,326

-89.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 140.5K

$12.2K ¥83.4K

-96.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.53 LKR 8,771

$37.27 ¥255

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,186

$39.16 ¥268

-50.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 22.1K

$65.7 ¥450

5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$50.4 ¥345

-23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ¥2,112

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ¥1,242

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 62.8K

$622 ¥4,258

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 LKR 47.1K

$330 ¥2,263

-55.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 ¥26.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 ¥14.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 LKR 103.4K

$1,210 ¥8,287

-73.18%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 273% 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 $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: $510 in Galle, $670 in Chengdu – roughly 31% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $765 per month in Galle and $1,006 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 $510 in Galle and $670 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 $510 in Galle to $670 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.