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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $522 per month in Kegalle vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $859 per month in Kegalle vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,196 per month in Kegalle vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kegalle is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kegalle and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kegalle 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,351

$1.94 ฿63.5

110.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.56 LKR 8,475

$18.64 ฿609

37.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 LKR 2,717

$7.82 ฿255

4.73%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 868

$1.95 ฿63.8

34.36%

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

$0.69 LKR 230

$0.85 ฿27.77

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 785

$2.13 ฿69.6

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,099

$3.73 ฿122

-11.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 572

$1.71 ฿56.0

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 183

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.14 ฿37.15

-25.44%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 709

$1.93 ฿63.1

10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 LKR 4,728

$16.21 ฿530

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 LKR 1,517

$3.12 ฿102

46.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,615

$10.90 ฿356

-27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$7.40 LKR 2,453

$2.75 ฿90.0

169.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 370

$1.21 ฿39.52

-7.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 LKR 1,866

$1.62 ฿53.0

247.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 416

$1.59 ฿51.8

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.40 ฿45.70

-20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 451

$1.17 ฿38.17

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 393

$0.66 ฿21.60

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 198

$0.53 ฿17.22

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 LKR 3,273

$4.69 ฿153

110.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.90 LKR 4,276

$18.66 ฿609

-30.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 700

$1.80 ฿58.8

17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 959

$3.23 ฿106

-10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.41 ฿45.91

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$7.84 ฿256

-92.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 397

$1.27 ฿41.58

-5.51%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.39%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

54.69%

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

$59.3 LKR 19.7K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-14.10%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,410

$14.08 ฿460

-69.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.30 LKR 5,074

$18.00 ฿588

-15.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,135

$5.92 ฿193

-42.23%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.4K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.53 LKR 9,128

$54.7 ฿1,787

-49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 LKR 6,452

$26.77 ฿874

-27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.8K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.26 LKR 13.0K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Kegalle: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kegalle versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $246 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Kegalle, 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 $783 per month in Kegalle and $1,300 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 Kegalle 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 4% 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 $522 in Kegalle and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kegalle costs $522 versus $866 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 Kegalle. 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.