Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalutara and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $539 per month in Kalutara vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $868 per month in Kalutara vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,196 per month in Kalutara vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kalutara is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kalutara and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kalutara 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,308

$1.96 ฿63.6

100.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.58 LKR 8,517

$18.39 ฿598

39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,780

$7.87 ฿256

6.10%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 886

$1.95 ฿63.4

36.41%

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

$0.72 LKR 241

$0.85 ฿27.57

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.32 ฿10.52

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 762

$2.14 ฿69.6

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,107

$3.68 ฿120

-9.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 584

$1.66 ฿53.9

5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 187

$1.56 ฿50.7

-64.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$1.19 ฿38.63

-31.09%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 712

$1.99 ฿64.7

7.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 LKR 4,711

$16.24 ฿528

-12.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,529

$3.17 ฿103

44.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,612

$10.84 ฿352

-27.68%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,455

$2.65 ฿86.2

178.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.22 ฿39.67

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 LKR 1,885

$1.65 ฿53.7

243.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 414

$1.55 ฿50.3

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$1.33 ฿43.17

-12.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$1.21 ฿39.43

17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 383

$0.68 ฿22.04

69.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.57 ฿18.38

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,413

$4.68 ฿152

119.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 LKR 4,322

$16.99 ฿552

-23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 702

$1.82 ฿59.3

15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 959

$3.18 ฿103

-9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.41 ฿45.80

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 108

$1.34 ฿43.52

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$8.14 ฿265

-93.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 413

$1.28 ฿41.53

-3.13%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

23.00%

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

$34.6K LKR 11.5M

$22.4K ฿728.0K

54.39%

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

$59.2 LKR 19.7K

$70.5 ฿2,291

-16.00%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,402

$14.05 ฿457

-70.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,985

$17.65 ฿574

-15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.92 LKR 3,303

$41.29 ฿1,342

-75.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 LKR 1,105

$5.96 ฿194

-44.30%

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

$36.60 LKR 12.2K

$303 ฿9,846

-87.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 147.2K

$15.0K ฿486.2K

-97.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.75 LKR 9,241

$54.7 ฿1,778

-49.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 LKR 6,553

$26.29 ฿854

-25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$85.8 ฿2,788

-18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.14 LKR 12.7K

$69.7 ฿2,265

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

229.00%

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

Last update for Kalutara: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kalutara versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai 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

Kalutara vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kalutara, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $809 per month in Kalutara and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kalutara and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $539 in Kalutara and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $539 versus $848 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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