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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Bali vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,328 per month in Bali vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,367 per month in Bali vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bali costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 Rp 53.5K

$1.94 ฿63.5

53.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 Rp 478.4K

$18.64 ฿609

42.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$7.82 ฿255

-47.70%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$1.95 ฿63.8

15.38%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$0.85 ฿27.77

34.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.35 ฿11.58

77.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.7K

$2.13 ฿69.6

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$3.73 ฿122

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$1.63 ฿53.2

48.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.14 ฿37.15

0.88%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$1.93 ฿63.1

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 Rp 247.0K

$16.21 ฿530

-15.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 Rp 74.5K

$3.12 ฿102

32.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 Rp 204.3K

$10.90 ฿356

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

$2.75 ฿90.0

25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.21 ฿39.52

26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

$1.62 ฿53.0

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.7K

$1.59 ฿51.8

35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$1.40 ฿45.70

30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.17 ฿38.17

82.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.66 ฿21.60

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 12.2K

$0.53 ฿17.22

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

$4.69 ฿153

-32.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 411.2K

$18.66 ฿609

22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.8K

$1.80 ฿58.8

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 49.1K

$3.23 ฿106

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.90 ฿29.26

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 Rp 152.6K

$19.21 ฿628

-55.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,240

$1.41 ฿45.91

-67.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,256

$1.29 ฿42.12

-64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

$7.84 ฿256

-23.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-35.43%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

22.18%

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

$31.9K Rp 574.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

43.47%

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

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

$69.1 ฿2,256

15.40%

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

$3.92 Rp 70.7K

$14.08 ฿460

-72.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 Rp 439.2K

$18.00 ฿588

35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$41.06 ฿1,341

100.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 Rp 95.5K

$6.96 ฿227

-23.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 62.1K

$5.92 ฿193

-41.89%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$299 ฿9,766

-10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,920 Rp 106.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-60.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Rp 919.9K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.67 Rp 661.3K

$26.77 ฿874

36.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$85.0 ฿2,776

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$70.6 ฿2,306

5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 Rp 15.4M

$428 ฿14.0K

99.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.3M

$237 ฿7,752

141.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,981 Rp 53.8M

$801 ฿26.2K

271.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 Rp 32.2M

$515 ฿16.8K

246.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 Rp 42.8M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

20.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 Rp 35.6M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

33.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$617 ฿20.2K

-63.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Bali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Bali 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 177% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Bali costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,932 per month in Bali 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Bali and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Bali at $1,288. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,288 in Bali. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.