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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $637 in Ambon versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in Ambon versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,375 in Ambon versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 33% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 54% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$2.08 ฿69.2

-47.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 Rp 255.8K

$19.64 ฿651

-26.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 Rp 70.7K

$5.65 ฿188

-29.56%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$1.81 ฿59.9

-17.68%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,246

$0.71 ฿23.66

-35.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,140

$0.32 ฿10.48

-9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$2.24 ฿74.2

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 63.0K

$3.63 ฿121

-2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-39.55%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-36.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 Rp 128.0K

$16.26 ฿539

-55.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.7K

$2.95 ฿98.0

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 137.5K

$9.94 ฿330

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.1K

$2.57 ฿85.3

-12.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

$1.06 ฿35.04

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$1.61 ฿53.5

9.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$1.52 ฿50.4

-19.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$1.27 ฿42.14

2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.3K

$1.07 ฿35.37

80.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$0.72 ฿23.89

9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,746

$0.51 ฿16.87

-13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$4.19 ฿139

-47.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.02 Rp 355.7K

$17.87 ฿593

12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 Rp 33.4K

$1.69 ฿56.2

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

$2.84 ฿94.1

3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,573

$0.93 ฿30.70

-72.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.05 Rp 302.9K

$53.9 ฿1,787

-68.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,300

$1.23 ฿40.95

-57.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,795

$0.58 ฿19.13

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

$2.42 ฿80.4

3.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-42.55%

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

$20.7K Rp 367.1M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

-3.64%

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

$33.7K Rp 598.3M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

23.22%

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

$59.1 Rp 1.0M

$63.7 ฿2,112

-7.18%

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

$5.57 Rp 98.9K

$12.85 ฿426

-56.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 Rp 351.2K

$20.22 ฿671

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.78 Rp 386.9K

$38.74 ฿1,285

-43.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.47 Rp 168.3K

$3.97 ฿132

138.54%

Cinema Ticket

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$6.74 ฿223

-78.78%

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

$107 Rp 1.9M

$778 ฿25.8K

-86.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,705 Rp 136.9M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-47.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.48 Rp 772.5K

$54.3 ฿1,801

-19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 Rp 529.9K

$25.45 ฿844

17.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 Rp 1.3M

$94.3 ฿3,129

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

$73.4 ฿2,436

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 Rp 3.5M

$490 ฿16.2K

-59.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 Rp 2.5M

$289 ฿9,596

-50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 Rp 11.3M

$894 ฿29.6K

-28.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Rp 5.6M

$517 ฿17.1K

-39.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,193 Rp 21.2M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-38.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$652 Rp 11.6M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-55.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 Rp 2.2M

$602 ฿20.0K

-79.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

5.57

69.84%

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

Last update for Ambon: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Ambon and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 388% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $240 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

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

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

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 388% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Ambon versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $637 per month in Ambon versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 216% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $637 in Ambon versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $637 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.