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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $458 per month in Galle vs $760 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $757 per month in Galle vs $1,228 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,056 per month in Galle vs $1,695 in Chengdu, rent included.

Galle is about 40% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Galle and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Galle 67% lower, Chengdu 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 LKR 510

$2.91 ¥19.50

-46.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.95 LKR 7,871

$20.30 ¥136

17.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 LKR 2,443

$5.19 ¥34.76

43.16%

Cappuccino

$1.79 LKR 589

$2.86 ¥19.14

-37.41%

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

$0.69 LKR 227

$0.51 ¥3.38

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.6

$0.28 ¥1.88

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 LKR 397

$1.52 ¥10.18

-20.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 LKR 485

$2.41 ¥16.16

-38.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 514

$1.75 ¥11.70

-10.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 176

$1.65 ¥11.05

-67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$0.89 ¥5.97

-13.48%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.61 ¥10.79

-1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 LKR 4,334

$14.44 ¥96.7

-8.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 LKR 1,627

$3.51 ¥23.50

41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 LKR 2,326

$11.15 ¥74.7

-36.50%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 LKR 2,200

$1.87 ¥12.50

258.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 238

$1.26 ¥8.47

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,401

$1.12 ¥7.48

280.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 404

$1.21 ¥8.10

1.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 335

$0.74 ¥4.97

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.74 ¥4.98

9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$0.70 ¥4.68

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.54 ¥3.65

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 LKR 3,457

$3.68 ¥24.66

185.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 LKR 3,058

$5.47 ¥36.65

70.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 622

$0.82 ¥5.52

130.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 LKR 918

$1.51 ¥10.10

84.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 45.97

$0.46 ¥3.11

-69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.62 ¥165

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$1.36 ¥9.10

-77.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 103

$0.31 ¥2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 310

$4.49 ¥30.10

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 438

$1.22 ¥8.16

9.02%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$19.0K ¥127.1K

60.42%

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

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

$17.0K ¥113.8K

153.22%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

$40.48 ¥271

37.48%

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

$4.05 LKR 1,331

$9.83 ¥65.9

-58.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.11 LKR 6,937

$12.68 ¥84.9

66.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.24 ¥182

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.32 ¥75.8

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 LKR 1,466

$5.87 ¥39.32

-24.02%

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

$38.06 LKR 12.5K

$414 ¥2,773

-90.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,219 LKR 400.5K

$15.1K ¥101.0K

-91.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.01 LKR 6,576

$29.07 ¥195

-31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.63 LKR 5,464

$30.22 ¥202

-44.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 25.9K

$59.7 ¥400

31.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.01 LKR 14.1K

$53.1 ¥355

-18.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 ¥3,308

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ¥1,762

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 ¥5,712

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ¥3,731

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,753 ¥25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 ¥13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 LKR 104.5K

$1,323 ¥8,859

-75.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

3.38

275.44%

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

Last update for Galle: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 316% 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 $24.00 in Galle versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 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: $458 in Galle, $760 in Chengdu – roughly 66% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $687 per month in Galle and $1,140 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 $24.00 in Galle and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% 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 $458 in Galle and $760 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 $458 in Galle to $760 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.