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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Kataragama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Kataragama vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,174 per month in Kataragama vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kataragama is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,335

$2.04 ฿68.2

95.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.92 LKR 8,361

$18.71 ฿624

33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 LKR 2,728

$7.86 ฿262

3.44%

Cappuccino

$2.72 LKR 912

$2.03 ฿67.7

33.99%

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

$0.72 LKR 243

$0.80 ฿26.64

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.35 ฿11.68

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 762

$2.14 ฿71.5

6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,155

$3.67 ฿122

-6.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.73 ฿57.6

-1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.57 ฿52.4

-64.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.20 ฿39.99

-31.67%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 719

$1.97 ฿65.8

8.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 LKR 4,667

$16.23 ฿541

-14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,547

$3.06 ฿102

50.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 LKR 2,655

$10.80 ฿360

-26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.56 LKR 2,537

$2.77 ฿92.3

172.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.17 ฿38.94

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,934

$1.71 ฿57.0

236.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 417

$1.59 ฿53.2

-22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 374

$1.39 ฿46.51

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 457

$1.16 ฿38.56

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 387

$0.66 ฿22.05

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.52 ฿17.31

13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,344

$4.65 ฿155

114.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,261

$17.78 ฿593

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 682

$1.79 ฿59.6

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 961

$3.34 ฿111

-14.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.41 ฿47.04

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$1.34 ฿44.70

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$8.11 ฿270

-92.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 420

$1.23 ฿41.16

1.63%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

23.36%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

56.96%

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

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

$71.3 ฿2,379

-14.22%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,440

$14.01 ฿467

-69.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,155

$17.93 ฿598

-14.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,101

$5.72 ฿191

-42.66%

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

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

$308 ฿10.3K

-88.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-96.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 LKR 9,295

$55.8 ฿1,860

-50.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.53 LKR 6,552

$26.04 ฿869

-25.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-18.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-46.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kataragama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $244 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Kataragama, 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 $798 per month in Kataragama and $1,279 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 $25.00 in Kataragama and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $532 in Kataragama and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $532 versus $852 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 Kataragama. 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.