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: $651 in Bandung versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in Bandung versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,250 in Bandung versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 32% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

$2.10 ฿69.3

-31.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

$19.84 ฿656

-30.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

$5.79 ฿191

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

$1.83 ฿60.4

-18.58%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,134

$0.78 ฿25.61

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,032

$0.31 ฿10.37

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$2.34 ฿77.2

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

$3.70 ฿122

-17.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$2.03 ฿67.1

-43.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

$1.60 ฿52.7

-37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

$1.42 ฿46.75

-41.55%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

$2.18 ฿71.9

-31.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

$15.91 ฿526

-53.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

$3.07 ฿102

-6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

$9.87 ฿326

-20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.63 ฿86.8

-16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

$1.10 ฿36.19

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

$1.63 ฿53.8

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.53 ฿50.6

-38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$1.24 ฿41.13

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

$1.13 ฿37.37

67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

$0.74 ฿24.38

-4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,660

$0.50 ฿16.48

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$4.28 ฿141

-38.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

$17.97 ฿594

27.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$1.70 ฿56.1

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

$2.90 ฿95.7

14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.94 ฿31.13

-69.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

$55.3 ฿1,827

-82.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$1.23 ฿40.76

-32.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,244

$0.53 ฿17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

$2.40 ฿79.3

-0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$1.44 ฿47.55

-41.67%

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

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

3.23%

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

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

6.60%

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

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

$64.9 ฿2,145

-46.39%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$13.35 ฿441

-67.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

$20.83 ฿688

-8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

$40.42 ฿1,336

-53.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

$3.95 ฿131

54.18%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$6.71 ฿222

-58.42%

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

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

$787 ฿26.0K

-88.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-43.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

$56.2 ฿1,858

-30.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

$24.95 ฿824

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

$92.7 ฿3,063

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

$75.1 ฿2,482

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 Rp 3.8M

$484 ฿16.0K

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$287 ฿9,491

-35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 Rp 6.8M

$910 ฿30.1K

-57.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 Rp 4.7M

$531 ฿17.5K

-49.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 12.7M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-63.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$312 Rp 5.5M

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-78.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 Rp 5.1M

$605 ฿20.0K

-52.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

5.57

104.31%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Bandung and $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 110% 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 Bandung vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $242 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 46% 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, salaries run 110% 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: $218 in Bandung versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 $14.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $651 in Bandung versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 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 46% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.