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 $716 per month in Weligama vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $911 per month in Weligama vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,106 per month in Weligama vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Weligama is about 16% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Weligama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Weligama 46% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,315

$2.04 ฿68.2

92.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.33 LKR 4,474

$18.71 ฿624

-28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 LKR 1,937

$7.86 ฿262

-26.59%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 884

$2.03 ฿67.7

30.05%

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

$0.74 LKR 248

$0.80 ฿26.64

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 126

$0.35 ฿11.68

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 LKR 796

$2.14 ฿71.5

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,133

$3.67 ฿122

-7.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 564

$1.73 ฿57.6

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.57 ฿52.4

-79.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 285

$1.20 ฿39.99

-29.17%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 707

$1.97 ฿65.8

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.92 LKR 4,671

$16.23 ฿541

-14.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,523

$3.06 ฿102

48.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 LKR 2,759

$10.80 ฿360

-23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,493

$2.77 ฿92.3

168.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 252

$1.17 ฿38.94

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,922

$1.71 ฿57.0

235.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.59 ฿53.2

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.39 ฿46.51

-20.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 LKR 162

$1.16 ฿38.56

-58.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$0.66 ฿22.05

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 189

$0.52 ฿17.31

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 LKR 3,439

$4.65 ฿155

120.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 LKR 4,206

$17.78 ฿593

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 670

$1.79 ฿59.6

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 996

$3.34 ฿111

-11.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 131

$1.41 ฿47.04

-72.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$1.34 ฿44.70

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 193

$8.11 ฿270

-92.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 417

$1.23 ฿41.16

0.81%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

23.93%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

59.05%

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

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

$71.3 ฿2,379

-14.31%

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

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$14.01 ฿467

-76.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.27 LKR 5,123

$17.93 ฿598

-14.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,141

$5.72 ฿191

-40.56%

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

$37.18 LKR 12.5K

$308 ฿10.3K

-87.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.3K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-97.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.89 LKR 9,360

$55.8 ฿1,860

-49.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 LKR 6,527

$26.04 ฿869

-25.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-17.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.23 LKR 13.2K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-44.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 LKR 74.0K

$242 ฿8,088

-9.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 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 – $249 in Weligama vs $244 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 19% 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 $1,074 per month in Weligama and $1,279 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 2% 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 $716 in Weligama and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Weligama costs $716 versus $852 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.