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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Ratnapura vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ratnapura is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 LKR 733

$1.94 ฿63.5

13.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.89 LKR 3,280

$18.64 ฿609

-46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 LKR 2,230

$7.82 ฿255

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$2.39 LKR 791

$1.95 ฿63.8

22.56%

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

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.85 ฿27.77

-3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.35 ฿11.58

48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 729

$2.13 ฿69.6

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$3.73 ฿122

-20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 652

$1.71 ฿56.0

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 LKR 284

$1.63 ฿53.2

-47.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$1.14 ฿37.15

-36.84%

Eggs

$1.17 LKR 390

$1.93 ฿63.1

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 LKR 5,518

$16.21 ฿530

2.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 LKR 2,267

$3.12 ฿102

119.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,765

$10.90 ฿356

59.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,562

$2.75 ฿90.0

71.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$1.21 ฿39.52

-32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 LKR 1,548

$1.62 ฿53.0

188.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LKR 362

$1.59 ฿51.8

-31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 385

$1.40 ฿45.70

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 498

$1.17 ฿38.17

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 185

$0.66 ฿21.60

-15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.53 ฿17.22

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 LKR 4,876

$4.69 ฿153

213.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 LKR 4,129

$18.66 ฿609

-33.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 LKR 738

$1.80 ฿58.8

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,034

$3.23 ฿106

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.90 ฿29.26

-54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.41 ฿45.91

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.29 ฿42.12

-58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 113

$7.84 ฿256

-95.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 353

$1.27 ฿41.58

-15.75%

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

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

3.74%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-4.14%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$2.33 LKR 773

$14.08 ฿460

-83.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 LKR 2,697

$18.00 ฿588

-54.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

$41.06 ฿1,341

-75.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 LKR 884

$5.92 ฿193

-55.07%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.76 LKR 3,901

$54.7 ฿1,787

-78.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.56 LKR 2,838

$26.77 ฿874

-68.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.55 LKR 9,466

$70.6 ฿2,306

-59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 LKR 28.2K

$428 ฿14.0K

-80.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.4 LKR 19.7K

$237 ฿7,752

-74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 LKR 30.6K

$515 ฿16.8K

-82.10%

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)

$172 LKR 57.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

-72.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.0 in Ratnapura versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 259% 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 $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Ratnapura vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 67% more than Ratnapura, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Ratnapura and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Ratnapura and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $520 in Ratnapura and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ratnapura costs $520 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 Ratnapura. 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.