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: $668 in Ambon versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Ambon versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,378 in Ambon versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 23% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.94 ฿63.5

-50.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.24 Rp 218.5K

$18.64 ฿609

-34.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 59.3K

$7.82 ฿255

-57.54%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

$1.95 ฿63.8

-14.87%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,671

$0.85 ฿27.77

-36.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,282

$0.35 ฿11.58

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 45.1K

$2.13 ฿69.6

18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

$3.73 ฿122

-6.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-28.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-18.42%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 142.1K

$16.21 ฿530

-50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.1K

$3.12 ฿102

0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 Rp 140.0K

$10.90 ฿356

-28.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-16.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.21 ฿39.52

23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$1.62 ฿53.0

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.8K

$1.17 ฿38.17

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$0.66 ฿21.60

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,310

$0.53 ฿17.22

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 43.7K

$4.69 ฿153

-47.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.81 Rp 389.4K

$18.66 ฿609

16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

$1.80 ฿58.8

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 Rp 55.6K

$3.23 ฿106

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,302

$0.90 ฿29.26

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 Rp 179.8K

$19.21 ฿628

-47.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,472

$1.41 ฿45.91

-62.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,137

$1.29 ฿42.12

-73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 51.8K

$7.84 ฿256

-63.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-39.37%

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

$24.1K Rp 430.3M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

13.25%

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

$27.7K Rp 494.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.61%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$69.1 ฿2,256

2.58%

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

$4.34 Rp 77.5K

$14.08 ฿460

-69.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.70 Rp 405.3K

$18.00 ฿588

26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.39 Rp 417.7K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-43.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.25 Rp 111.6K

$6.96 ฿227

-10.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.9K

$5.92 ฿193

-48.99%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$299 ฿9,766

-68.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,536 Rp 134.6M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-49.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.81 Rp 746.6K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 Rp 542.0K

$26.77 ฿874

13.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$85.0 ฿2,776

-20.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$70.6 ฿2,306

3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.8M

$237 ฿7,752

-33.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 Rp 10.6M

$801 ฿26.2K

-25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$515 ฿16.8K

-34.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 Rp 19.3M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-45.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 Rp 12.7M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-51.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$175 Rp 3.1M

$617 ฿20.2K

-71.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Ambon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Ambon and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 254% 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: $12.00 in Ambon vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $246 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 30% 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, Chiang Mai earns 254% less. 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: $261 in Ambon versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Ambon versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 91% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambon gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $668 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 30% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.