Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Da Lat Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Da Lat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $551 in Kandy versus $702 in Da Lat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $860 in Kandy versus $1,120 in Da Lat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,169 in Kandy versus $1,539 in Da Lat.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 22% less than in Da Lat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 59% lower, Da Lat 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 LKR 950

$2.13 ₫56.1K

32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.83 LKR 3,988

$22.41 ₫588.8K

-47.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 LKR 2,216

$6.19 ₫162.7K

6.30%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LKR 861

$1.60 ₫41.9K

60.00%

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

$0.65 LKR 217

$0.96 ₫25.3K

-32.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.40 ₫10.6K

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 LKR 726

$1.78 ₫46.7K

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,154

$2.36 ₫62.0K

45.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.50 ₫39.4K

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.23 ₫32.4K

-57.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 287

$1.16 ₫30.4K

-26.72%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 737

$1.64 ₫43.2K

33.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 LKR 2,859

$7.60 ₫199.7K

11.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,565

$3.98 ₫104.5K

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,746

$4.35 ₫114.2K

87.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 LKR 1,491

$4.30 ₫112.9K

2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 345

$1.83 ₫48.1K

-44.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 LKR 1,222

$3.20 ₫84.1K

13.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 408

$1.60 ₫42.1K

-24.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.82 ₫47.8K

-36.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 439

$1.56 ₫40.9K

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 LKR 248

$0.71 ₫18.6K

4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.64 ₫16.7K

-14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.30 LKR 3,134

$1.70 ₫44.6K

447.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 LKR 3,815

$7.92 ₫208.2K

42.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 671

$0.74 ₫19.4K

168.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 934

$2.15 ₫56.5K

28.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 58.1

$0.36 ₫9,491

-52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.86 LKR 5,009

$6.43 ₫169.0K

131.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.55 ₫14.5K

-29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.70 ₫18.5K

-52.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 148

$2.70 ₫71.0K

-83.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 423

$0.99 ₫26.0K

26.26%

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

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

$35.6K ₫936.1M

-49.64%

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

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

$31.6K ₫829.9M

-32.83%

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

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

$39.88 ₫1.0M

2.36%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,437

$4.19 ₫110.0K

1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.41 LKR 5,194

$15.16 ₫398.1K

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.86 LKR 5,006

$21.32 ₫560.1K

-30.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.62 LKR 1,895

$7.73 ₫203.2K

-27.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 LKR 1,122

$1.88 ₫49.3K

77.13%

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

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

$269 ₫7.1M

-86.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$328 LKR 110.5K

$11.7K ₫306.1M

-97.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.01 LKR 9,102

$41.01 ₫1.1M

-34.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.32 LKR 4,826

$23.00 ₫604.2K

-37.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

$87.9 ₫2.3M

-35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.20 LKR 9,841

$75.2 ₫2.0M

-61.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 LKR 44.3K

$279 ₫7.3M

-52.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

$249 ₫6.6M

-66.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 LKR 73.0K

$625 ₫16.4M

-65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 LKR 53.8K

$465 ₫12.2M

-65.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 LKR 135.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 LKR 132.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 LKR 87.6K

$430 ₫11.3M

-39.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

64.84%

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

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Last update for Da Lat: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Kandy and $279 in Da Lat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Da Lat pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Kandy vs $22.00 in Da Lat. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $190, with Da Lat cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kandy vs Da Lat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy and Da Lat differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($551 vs $702 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Da Lat earns 65% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $131 in Kandy versus $279 in Da Lat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kandy – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $22.00 in Da Lat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $551 per month in Kandy versus $702 in Da Lat – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kandy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kandy and Da Lat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Da Lat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.