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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $658 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,417 in Ambon.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 42% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ambon 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

85.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$13.95 Rp 247.0K

40.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.91 Rp 69.3K

45.01%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

20.67%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.47 Rp 8,319

63.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.29 Rp 5,068

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.48 Rp 43.8K

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.49 Rp 61.8K

8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

59.09%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

62.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.25 Rp 128.4K

123.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.64 Rp 135.3K

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.28 Rp 40.3K

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

-17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.70 Rp 30.2K

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

13.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

-46.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.41 Rp 7,302

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

89.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$21.27 Rp 376.6K

-14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

-2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.24 Rp 4,243

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$16.99 Rp 300.9K

216.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.50 Rp 8,778

134.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.31 Rp 5,435

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

-28.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

90.79%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.0K Rp 406.6M

-8.50%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.1K Rp 550.3M

-14.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-17.89%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.82 Rp 103.1K

121.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.77 Rp 350.1K

3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$18.75 Rp 332.0K

108.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.70 Rp 136.3K

-49.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

376.81%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

731.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,888 Rp 139.7M

86.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$43.70 Rp 773.8K

26.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$31.00 Rp 548.9K

-20.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$262 Rp 4.6M

87.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$161 Rp 2.9M

78.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$571 Rp 10.1M

56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$359 Rp 6.4M

45.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,120 Rp 19.8M

76.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$618 Rp 10.9M

133.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$126 Rp 2.2M

378.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ambon: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $262 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 379% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $196 per month, with Ambon 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

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

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 379% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $262 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $658 in Ambon – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 216% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $658 in Ambon versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $658 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Ambon 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 Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.