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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $612 per month in Banjarmasin vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $947 per month in Banjarmasin vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,282 per month in Banjarmasin vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Banjarmasin is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjarmasin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Banjarmasin 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.25 Rp 21.6K

$1.96 ฿64.0

-36.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.39 Rp 214.7K

$18.81 ฿615

-34.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.66 Rp 46.2K

$7.92 ฿259

-66.41%

Cappuccino

$1.06 Rp 18.4K

$1.91 ฿62.6

-44.50%

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

$1.01 Rp 17.5K

$0.84 ฿27.41

20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,797

$0.35 ฿11.51

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 43.8K

$2.21 ฿72.1

14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 62.9K

$3.80 ฿124

-4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$1.64 ฿53.5

-9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 Rp 16.7K

$1.62 ฿53.1

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.1K

$1.18 ฿38.62

37.29%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.2K

$2.01 ฿65.8

-27.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 Rp 139.7K

$15.89 ฿520

-49.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 42.1K

$3.01 ฿98.5

-19.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.01 Rp 69.6K

$10.77 ฿352

-62.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 33.8K

$2.61 ฿85.5

-25.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 17.5K

$1.22 ฿39.88

-17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 Rp 17.2K

$1.70 ฿55.7

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

$1.58 ฿51.5

-55.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.2K

$1.32 ฿43.14

-20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 18.9K

$1.17 ฿38.23

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$0.67 ฿21.98

25.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,641

$0.56 ฿18.32

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

$4.53 ฿148

-58.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.61 Rp 374.6K

$18.20 ฿595

18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

$1.83 ฿60.0

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 54.9K

$3.23 ฿106

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,004

$0.89 ฿29.00

-67.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.20 Rp 315.4K

$19.38 ฿634

-6.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 Rp 20.7K

$1.35 ฿44.20

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 Rp 13.0K

$1.35 ฿44.05

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 50.3K

$8.25 ฿270

-64.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 Rp 15.8K

$1.27 ฿41.64

-28.35%

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

$24.8K Rp 429.3M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

17.09%

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

$27.9K Rp 484.2M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

24.25%

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

$44.13 Rp 764.9K

$70.2 ฿2,294

-37.09%

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

$3.05 Rp 52.9K

$13.77 ฿450

-77.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 Rp 326.5K

$17.60 ฿575

7.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 Rp 843.5K

$41.57 ฿1,360

17.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 Rp 105.1K

$6.60 ฿216

-8.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 Rp 109.1K

$5.78 ฿189

8.82%

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

$61.7 Rp 1.1M

$306 ฿10.0K

-79.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,717 Rp 133.7M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-47.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 Rp 480.2K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-49.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.47 Rp 528.1K

$26.14 ฿855

16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 Rp 1.0M

$84.5 ฿2,764

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.47 Rp 614.8K

$69.4 ฿2,270

-48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.5M

$424 ฿13.9K

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.7M

$238 ฿7,788

-33.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.3M

$825 ฿27.0K

-28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 5.9M

$515 ฿16.8K

-34.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 Rp 21.3M

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-39.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$789 Rp 13.7M

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-48.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 Rp 3.6M

$635 ฿20.8K

-67.69%

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 Banjarmasin: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Banjarmasin versus $424 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 210% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Banjarmasin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $243 – making Banjarmasin 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $917 per month in Banjarmasin and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjarmasin, 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 $12.00 in Banjarmasin 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 $612 in Banjarmasin and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $612 in Banjarmasin and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banjarmasin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.