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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $515 per month in Ragama vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Ragama vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Ragama vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ragama is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ragama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ragama 63% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 LKR 1,448

$2.10 ฿69.3

110.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.20 LKR 8,610

$19.84 ฿656

32.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 LKR 2,509

$5.79 ฿191

31.95%

Cappuccino

$2.54 LKR 834

$1.83 ฿60.4

38.80%

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

$0.69 LKR 226

$0.78 ฿25.61

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 88.7

$0.31 ฿10.37

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 740

$2.34 ฿77.2

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,026

$3.70 ฿122

-15.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 LKR 468

$2.03 ฿67.1

-29.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 166

$1.60 ฿52.7

-68.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 226

$1.42 ฿46.75

-51.41%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 546

$2.18 ฿71.9

-23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 LKR 4,324

$15.91 ฿526

-17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 LKR 1,622

$3.07 ฿102

60.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,376

$9.87 ฿326

-26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 LKR 2,206

$2.63 ฿86.8

155.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 294

$1.10 ฿36.19

-19.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 LKR 1,420

$1.63 ฿53.8

165.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$1.53 ฿50.6

-18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 343

$1.24 ฿41.13

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$1.13 ฿37.37

-29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$0.74 ฿24.38

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 151

$0.50 ฿16.48

-8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,435

$4.28 ฿141

144.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 LKR 4,457

$17.97 ฿594

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 656

$1.70 ฿56.1

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 909

$2.90 ฿95.7

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$1.23 ฿40.76

-68.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.53 ฿17.66

-26.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 303

$2.40 ฿79.3

-61.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 443

$1.44 ฿47.55

-6.25%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

41.40%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

52.56%

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

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-16.28%

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

$4.16 LKR 1,366

$13.35 ฿441

-68.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 LKR 6,776

$20.83 ฿688

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,477

$6.71 ฿222

-33.08%

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

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

$787 ฿26.0K

-95.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-91.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.02 LKR 6,577

$56.2 ฿1,858

-64.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.51 LKR 5,424

$24.95 ฿824

-33.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-14.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

$75.1 ฿2,482

-44.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿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 Ragama: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Ragama versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Ragama vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Ragama 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Ragama, 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 $773 per month in Ragama and $1,426 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 Ragama 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 4% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ragama, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Ragama 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. Ragama costs $515 versus $950 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 Ragama. 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.