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 $518 per month in Kataragama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Kataragama vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Kataragama vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kataragama is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kataragama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kataragama 61% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,266

$1.96 ฿64.0

102.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 LKR 8,043

$18.81 ฿615

34.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 LKR 2,735

$7.92 ฿259

8.33%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 841

$1.91 ฿62.6

38.22%

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

$0.69 LKR 219

$0.84 ฿27.41

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.35 ฿11.51

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 758

$2.21 ฿72.1

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,100

$3.80 ฿124

-9.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 539

$1.64 ฿53.5

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 165

$1.62 ฿53.1

-67.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 264

$1.18 ฿38.62

-29.66%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 685

$2.01 ฿65.8

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 LKR 4,477

$15.89 ฿520

-11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,452

$3.01 ฿98.5

51.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 LKR 2,571

$10.77 ฿352

-25.16%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 LKR 2,436

$2.61 ฿85.5

192.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.22 ฿39.88

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,832

$1.70 ฿55.7

237.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.58 ฿51.5

-23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.32 ฿43.14

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 434

$1.17 ฿38.23

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 380

$0.67 ฿21.98

77.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 178

$0.56 ฿18.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,266

$4.53 ฿148

126.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 4,023

$18.20 ฿595

-30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 657

$1.83 ฿60.0

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 907

$3.23 ฿106

-12.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$1.35 ฿44.20

-68.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$1.35 ฿44.05

-75.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$8.25 ฿270

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.27 ฿41.64

-4.72%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

26.60%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

54.77%

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

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

$70.2 ฿2,294

-13.11%

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

$4.44 LKR 1,414

$13.77 ฿450

-67.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,738

$17.60 ฿575

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,057

$5.78 ฿189

-42.73%

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

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

$306 ฿10.0K

-88.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 141.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-97.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 8,813

$54.4 ฿1,778

-49.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.74 LKR 6,295

$26.14 ฿855

-24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

$84.5 ฿2,764

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-43.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 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 $243 – 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 65% 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 $776 per month in Kataragama and $1,278 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 $518 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 $518 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.