Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Amed, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Amed, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $893 in Amed, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,491 in Amed, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,089 in Amed, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Amed, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Amed, Bali are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Amed, Bali 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$22.33 Rp 393.1K

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$3.45 Rp 60.8K

67.83%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.74 Rp 30.6K

5.17%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.14 Rp 20.1K

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.50 Rp 8,886

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.83 Rp 32.1K

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.70 Rp 47.6K

37.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

47.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.98 Rp 34.9K

-19.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.02 Rp 17.9K

39.22%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$15.27 Rp 268.8K

4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.36 Rp 59.2K

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.67 Rp 187.9K

-7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.19 Rp 56.2K

-17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.39 Rp 24.5K

-20.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.99 Rp 35.1K

-18.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-22.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$2.04 Rp 35.9K

-44.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

-12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.47 Rp 8,252

6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.92 Rp 33.8K

122.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$19.54 Rp 344.0K

-8.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.01 Rp 35.4K

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.55 Rp 45.0K

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.23 Rp 4,065

308.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$7.03 Rp 123.7K

686.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.38 Rp 6,760

223.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.37 Rp 6,567

43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.18 Rp 91.1K

-53.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.65 Rp 11.4K

121.54%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$21.4K Rp 376.9M

-1.01%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$26.9K Rp 473.6M

1.50%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-16.26%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$6.19 Rp 109.0K

115.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$18.11 Rp 318.8K

15.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$37.36 Rp 657.8K

8.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$12.07 Rp 212.5K

-67.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.00 Rp 52.8K

123.67%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$396 Rp 7.0M

98.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$4,840 Rp 85.2M

212.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$42.75 Rp 752.6K

31.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$32.50 Rp 572.2K

-23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

27.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$544 Rp 9.6M

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$330 Rp 5.8M

-13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,710 Rp 30.1M

-46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$824 Rp 14.5M

-35.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,351 Rp 23.8M

46.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,099 Rp 19.4M

32.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.78

-59.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Amed, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $544 in Amed, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Amed, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $253 – making Chiang Mai 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

Chiang Mai vs Amed, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Amed, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,339 in Amed, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amed, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 686% less in Amed, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $396 in Amed, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amed, Bali, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Amed, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Amed, Bali costs $893 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Amed, Bali. 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.