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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Kataragama vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $840 per month in Kataragama vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Kataragama vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kataragama is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kataragama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kataragama 62% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 LKR 1,431

$2.08 ฿69.3

108.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.82 LKR 8,537

$19.61 ฿653

31.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 LKR 2,475

$5.67 ฿189

31.92%

Cappuccino

$2.54 LKR 841

$1.81 ฿60.1

40.33%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.77 ฿25.58

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.35 ฿11.49

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$2.21 ฿73.7

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,001

$3.79 ฿126

-20.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 519

$2.05 ฿68.2

-23.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.51 ฿50.4

-62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.40 ฿46.57

-43.57%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$2.26 ฿75.2

-29.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 LKR 4,435

$16.19 ฿539

-17.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$2.90 ฿96.4

76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 LKR 2,395

$9.42 ฿314

-23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,306

$2.68 ฿89.2

160.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.09 ฿36.28

-17.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,388

$1.62 ฿53.8

159.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 410

$1.46 ฿48.61

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 337

$1.28 ฿42.54

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 253

$1.06 ฿35.21

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 297

$0.72 ฿23.88

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.53 ฿17.51

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 LKR 3,455

$4.23 ฿141

147.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 LKR 4,598

$18.29 ฿609

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 LKR 628

$1.63 ฿54.3

16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 925

$2.90 ฿96.6

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$1.17 ฿39.04

-64.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.58 ฿19.25

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 306

$2.39 ฿79.4

-61.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 438

$1.45 ฿48.28

-8.97%

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

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

46.81%

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

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

60.42%

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

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-11.56%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,394

$12.89 ฿429

-67.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 LKR 7,016

$20.52 ฿683

3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 LKR 1,457

$6.58 ฿219

-32.98%

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

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.01 LKR 6,616

$55.1 ฿1,835

-63.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,447

$24.74 ฿824

-33.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

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 Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kataragama versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Kataragama vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kataragama 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Kataragama, 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 $771 per month in Kataragama and $1,398 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 Kataragama and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kataragama 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. Kataragama costs $514 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 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.