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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,301

$1.94 ฿63.5

102.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.40 LKR 8,420

$18.64 ฿609

36.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 LKR 2,758

$7.82 ฿255

6.39%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 911

$1.95 ฿63.8

41.03%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.85 ฿27.77

-12.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.35 ฿11.58

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 761

$2.13 ฿69.6

7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$3.73 ฿122

-8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 572

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 282

$1.14 ฿37.15

-25.44%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 704

$1.93 ฿63.1

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 LKR 4,734

$16.21 ฿530

-11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,536

$3.12 ฿102

48.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 LKR 2,712

$10.90 ฿356

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,433

$2.75 ฿90.0

166.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$1.21 ฿39.52

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,936

$1.62 ฿53.0

260.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 401

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.40 ฿45.70

-20.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 456

$1.17 ฿38.17

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 384

$0.66 ฿21.60

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 184

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,281

$4.69 ฿153

111.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 4,181

$18.66 ฿609

-32.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 697

$1.80 ฿58.8

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 960

$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)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.41 ฿45.91

-70.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 203

$7.84 ฿256

-92.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.27 ฿41.58

-4.72%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.64%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

59.53%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.9K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-12.97%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$14.08 ฿460

-69.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,092

$18.00 ฿588

-14.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,085

$5.92 ฿193

-44.76%

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

$37.14 LKR 12.3K

$299 ฿9,766

-87.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-97.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.45 LKR 9,102

$54.7 ฿1,787

-49.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,396

$26.77 ฿874

-27.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-45.78%

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 Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Polonnaruwa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Polonnaruwa, 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 $777 per month in Polonnaruwa 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 $25.00 in Polonnaruwa 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 $518 in Polonnaruwa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $518 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.