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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Kalutara vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $899 per month in Kalutara vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,179 per month in Kalutara vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kalutara is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kalutara and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kalutara 55% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 LKR 1,492

$2.08 ฿69.3

116.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.15 LKR 8,646

$19.61 ฿653

33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 LKR 2,519

$5.67 ฿189

34.39%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 844

$1.81 ฿60.1

40.88%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.77 ฿25.58

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.35 ฿11.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 LKR 721

$2.21 ฿73.7

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 LKR 1,013

$3.79 ฿126

-19.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 518

$2.05 ฿68.2

-23.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.51 ฿50.4

-62.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.40 ฿46.57

-46.43%

Eggs

$1.59 LKR 525

$2.26 ฿75.2

-29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 LKR 4,409

$16.19 ฿539

-17.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 LKR 1,722

$2.90 ฿96.4

79.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 LKR 2,455

$9.42 ฿314

-21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.77 LKR 2,239

$2.68 ฿89.2

152.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$1.09 ฿36.28

-23.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 LKR 1,407

$1.62 ฿53.8

162.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 409

$1.46 ฿48.61

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 341

$1.28 ฿42.54

-19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 270

$1.06 ฿35.21

-22.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 289

$0.72 ฿23.88

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.53 ฿17.51

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 LKR 3,444

$4.23 ฿141

146.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 LKR 4,505

$18.29 ฿609

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 659

$1.63 ฿54.3

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 919

$2.90 ฿96.6

-4.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 LKR 36.64

$0.88 ฿29.24

-87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.38 LKR 3,100

$53.8 ฿1,790

-82.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.17 ฿39.04

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 LKR 56.6

$0.58 ฿19.25

-70.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 296

$2.39 ฿79.4

-62.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 446

$1.45 ฿48.28

-6.90%

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

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

79.35%

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

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

51.74%

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

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-11.94%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,406

$12.89 ฿429

-67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.24 LKR 7,023

$20.52 ฿683

3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.06 LKR 2,994

$39.02 ฿1,299

-76.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 LKR 1,422

$6.58 ฿219

-34.65%

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

$37.98 LKR 12.6K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,235 LKR 408.3K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.37 LKR 6,735

$55.1 ฿1,835

-63.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.56 LKR 5,475

$24.74 ฿824

-33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.28 LKR 14.0K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

$288 ฿9,594

-70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Kalutara: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kalutara versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Kalutara vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kalutara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51% more than Kalutara, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Kalutara and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $37.98 per month in Kalutara and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalutara, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kalutara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kalutara costs $619 versus $932 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.