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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $647 in Bandung versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $949 in Bandung versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,251 in Bandung versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 25% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 52% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.28 Rp 22.9K

$1.94 ฿63.6

-34.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

$18.64 ฿609

-49.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$7.82 ฿256

-56.14%

Cappuccino

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.95 ฿63.9

-26.15%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,717

$0.85 ฿27.80

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,452

$0.35 ฿11.60

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.13 ฿69.7

53.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.73 ฿122

-4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.63 ฿53.3

-34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$1.14 ฿37.18

-17.54%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.93 ฿63.2

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 Rp 167.3K

$16.21 ฿530

-42.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

$3.12 ฿102

-3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

$10.90 ฿356

-27.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.75 ฿90.1

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.21 ฿39.56

9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

$1.62 ฿53.0

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$1.59 ฿51.9

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$1.40 ฿45.75

5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

$1.17 ฿38.20

128.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$0.66 ฿21.62

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,234

$0.53 ฿17.24

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

$4.69 ฿153

-45.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.35 Rp 400.7K

$18.66 ฿610

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$1.80 ฿58.8

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$3.23 ฿106

8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,362

$0.90 ฿29.28

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 189.5K

$19.21 ฿628

-44.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.41 ฿45.96

-46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.29 ฿42.16

-44.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$7.84 ฿256

-66.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.27 ฿41.62

-36.22%

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

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

14.56%

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

$26.4K Rp 473.3M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

18.87%

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

$43.12 Rp 773.0K

$69.1 ฿2,258

-37.57%

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

$4.52 Rp 81.1K

$14.08 ฿460

-67.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 Rp 411.3K

$18.00 ฿588

27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 Rp 385.1K

$41.06 ฿1,342

-47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.62 Rp 118.7K

$6.96 ฿227

-4.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$5.92 ฿193

-46.62%

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

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

$299 ฿9,775

-68.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,577 Rp 135.8M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-49.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.84 Rp 750.1K

$54.7 ฿1,788

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 Rp 547.9K

$26.77 ฿875

14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

$85.0 ฿2,778

-30.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

$70.6 ฿2,308

-9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 Rp 4.2M

$428 ฿14.0K

-45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$237 ฿7,759

-34.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 Rp 8.0M

$801 ฿26.2K

-44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$515 ฿16.9K

-52.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 13.0M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-63.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-79.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.1M

$617 ฿20.2K

-54.07%

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 Bandung: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Bandung and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 118% 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: $9.00 in Bandung vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $246 per month, with Bandung 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

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

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 118% 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: $234 in Bandung versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung 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 Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.