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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $739 per month in Weligama vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $922 per month in Weligama vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,105 per month in Weligama vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Weligama is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Weligama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Weligama 45% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 LKR 1,353

$1.98 ฿64.3

105.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.40 LKR 4,470

$18.80 ฿612

-28.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 LKR 2,004

$7.75 ฿252

-22.45%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 910

$1.92 ฿62.5

42.19%

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

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.79 ฿25.79

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.36 ฿11.62

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 798

$2.21 ฿72.1

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,129

$3.66 ฿119

-7.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 561

$1.65 ฿53.8

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LKR 114

$1.63 ฿53.2

-79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$1.19 ฿38.86

-30.25%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 716

$2.00 ฿65.1

7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 LKR 4,740

$15.98 ฿520

-11.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,523

$3.03 ฿98.5

50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,755

$10.86 ฿354

-23.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.47 LKR 2,490

$2.76 ฿90.0

170.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 260

$1.18 ฿38.42

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 LKR 1,916

$1.64 ฿53.5

250.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 400

$1.52 ฿49.51

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 369

$1.38 ฿45.10

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 153

$1.19 ฿38.84

-61.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 384

$0.70 ฿22.86

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.56 ฿18.13

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 LKR 3,294

$4.58 ฿149

115.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 LKR 4,225

$16.56 ฿539

-23.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 691

$1.83 ฿59.5

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 958

$3.20 ฿104

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$1.36 ฿44.16

-71.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$1.34 ฿43.65

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$7.84 ฿256

-92.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 422

$1.23 ฿39.92

3.25%

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

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

24.95%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.6M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

54.26%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.8K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-15.66%

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

$3.26 LKR 1,089

$13.68 ฿445

-76.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,123

$17.45 ฿568

-11.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,143

$5.77 ฿188

-40.55%

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

$37.22 LKR 12.4K

$307 ฿10.0K

-87.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 149.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-96.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,373

$55.8 ฿1,817

-49.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.66 LKR 6,556

$26.21 ฿854

-24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 LKR 23.2K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.04 LKR 13.0K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 LKR 73.1K

$239 ฿7,774

-8.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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 Weligama: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Weligama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Weligama vs $241 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Weligama, 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 $1,109 per month in Weligama and $1,303 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 $13.00 in Weligama 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $739 in Weligama and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Weligama costs $739 versus $869 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 Weligama. 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.