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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Kurunegala vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $770 per month in Kurunegala vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,065 per month in Kurunegala vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kurunegala is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kurunegala and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kurunegala 65% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 LKR 600

$2.08 ฿69.3

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 LKR 8,690

$19.61 ฿653

34.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 LKR 1,470

$5.67 ฿189

-21.52%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 809

$1.81 ฿60.1

35.36%

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

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.77 ฿25.58

-37.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.35 ฿11.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 746

$2.21 ฿73.7

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,000

$3.79 ฿126

-20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 LKR 507

$2.05 ฿68.2

-25.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 LKR 149

$1.51 ฿50.4

-70.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.40 ฿46.57

-45.71%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 547

$2.26 ฿75.2

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 LKR 4,326

$16.19 ฿539

-19.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 LKR 1,710

$2.90 ฿96.4

78.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,367

$9.42 ฿314

-23.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 LKR 2,283

$2.68 ฿89.2

157.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 278

$1.09 ฿36.28

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 LKR 1,457

$1.62 ฿53.8

172.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 406

$1.46 ฿48.61

-15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.28 ฿42.54

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 254

$1.06 ฿35.21

-27.36%

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)

$10.51 LKR 3,474

$4.23 ฿141

148.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 LKR 4,505

$18.29 ฿609

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 LKR 651

$1.63 ฿54.3

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 962

$2.90 ฿96.6

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.17 ฿39.04

-67.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 104

$0.58 ฿19.25

-46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LKR 312

$2.39 ฿79.4

-60.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 LKR 361

$1.45 ฿48.28

-24.83%

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

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

$21.0K ฿699.5K

42.25%

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

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

$26.4K ฿879.7K

63.21%

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

$55.2 LKR 18.2K

$63.7 ฿2,119

-13.31%

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

$4.24 LKR 1,403

$12.89 ฿429

-67.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 LKR 6,803

$20.52 ฿683

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 LKR 1,437

$6.58 ฿219

-33.89%

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

$38.59 LKR 12.8K

$784 ฿26.1K

-95.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 LKR 397.3K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-91.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 LKR 6,672

$55.1 ฿1,835

-63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 LKR 5,440

$24.74 ฿824

-33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 LKR 26.9K

$94.1 ฿3,133

-13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

$74.0 ฿2,462

-42.27%

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)

$151 LKR 49.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

-74.93%

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 Kurunegala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 299% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kurunegala versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Kurunegala vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kurunegala 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Kurunegala, 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 $712 per month in Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala 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 2% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kurunegala, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kurunegala 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. Kurunegala costs $475 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 Kurunegala. 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.