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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $508 in Banyuwangi versus $847 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $802 in Banyuwangi versus $1,332 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,097 in Banyuwangi versus $1,816 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Banyuwangi costs roughly 40% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Banyuwangi 62% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$2.03 ฿68.4

-60.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.33 Rp 221.2K

$18.71 ฿630

-34.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$7.84 ฿264

-61.61%

Cappuccino

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.93 ฿64.9

-28.50%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,900

$0.83 ฿28.00

-54.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 Rp 3,484

$0.35 ฿11.80

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 Rp 42.1K

$2.22 ฿74.8

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 Rp 71.3K

$3.79 ฿128

5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.65 ฿55.4

-33.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.55 ฿52.3

-54.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

$1.18 ฿39.79

-28.81%

Eggs

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.01 ฿67.9

-56.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 Rp 69.8K

$16.16 ฿544

-75.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$3.03 ฿102

-24.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.11 Rp 127.6K

$10.84 ฿365

-34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$2.68 ฿90.3

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

$1.22 ฿41.14

-48.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.63 ฿54.8

-55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.53 ฿51.5

-29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

$1.34 ฿45.10

-34.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

$1.21 ฿40.86

-17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

$0.70 ฿23.63

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,512

$0.53 ฿17.70

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$4.69 ฿158

-48.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 Rp 99.8K

$17.71 ฿597

-68.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

$1.85 ฿62.2

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$3.21 ฿108

-21.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,808

$0.89 ฿30.01

-64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.79 Rp 175.7K

$18.76 ฿632

-47.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,987

$1.41 ฿47.40

-68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,141

$1.29 ฿43.52

-77.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 Rp 50.4K

$7.79 ฿262

-63.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.29 ฿43.59

-37.98%

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

$21.1K Rp 379.2M

$21.8K ฿733.4K

-2.88%

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

$31.1K Rp 557.5M

$21.7K ฿730.7K

43.31%

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

$50.7 Rp 910.1K

$70.0 ฿2,358

-27.49%

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

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

$14.19 ฿478

-70.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.29 Rp 346.0K

$17.42 ฿587

10.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.03 Rp 413.0K

$41.64 ฿1,403

-44.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 Rp 108.3K

$6.89 ฿232

-12.34%

Cinema Ticket

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$5.78 ฿195

-63.32%

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

$30.59 Rp 548.6K

$300 ฿10.1K

-89.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 Rp 21.8M

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-91.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.50 Rp 439.4K

$55.4 ฿1,865

-55.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.26 Rp 219.9K

$26.31 ฿886

-53.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 Rp 1.1M

$84.8 ฿2,858

-26.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.65 Rp 549.7K

$70.5 ฿2,375

-56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 Rp 4.6M

$425 ฿14.3K

-40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$235 ฿7,919

-33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.7M

$802 ฿27.0K

-25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 6.0M

$516 ฿17.4K

-35.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 21.0M

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-39.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$703 Rp 12.6M

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-51.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$586 ฿19.8K

-73.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

36.80%

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

Last update for Banyuwangi: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Banyuwangi and $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 281% 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 Banyuwangi vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $242 per month, with Banyuwangi 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

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

Banyuwangi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 281% 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: $254 in Banyuwangi versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banyuwangi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Banyuwangi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Banyuwangi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.