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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,290 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,302 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,314 in Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 33% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bali 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.86 Rp 51.4K

-31.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.11 Rp 487.2K

-32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.25 Rp 76.3K

76.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-9.82%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.32 Rp 59.6K

8.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-35.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

9.17%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$13.93 Rp 250.3K

16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.10 Rp 73.7K

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.34 Rp 203.8K

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.66 Rp 65.8K

-25.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.66 Rp 47.8K

-36.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-27.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.08 Rp 37.4K

-42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.10 Rp 55.8K

49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$22.34 Rp 401.5K

-21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.62 Rp 47.2K

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.65 Rp 47.6K

24.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.27 Rp 4,804

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$8.19 Rp 147.1K

136.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.45 Rp 8,084

202.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.46 Rp 8,243

191.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.99 Rp 107.7K

37.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.0K Rp 466.5M

-17.74%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$32.6K Rp 585.7M

-30.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.94%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

244.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$24.04 Rp 432.1K

-27.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

-47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.47 Rp 98.2K

25.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.29 Rp 59.1K

79.94%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$273 Rp 4.9M

13.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,104 Rp 109.7M

143.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$52.5 Rp 943.7K

6.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$37.11 Rp 666.9K

-29.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

-3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$860 Rp 15.5M

-49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$582 Rp 10.5M

-58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,932 Rp 52.7M

-71.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,801 Rp 32.4M

-71.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,406 Rp 43.2M

-20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,957 Rp 35.2M

-25.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$221 Rp 4.0M

161.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-62.35%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $860 in Bali. 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 162% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $285 – 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 Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 50% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,935 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,290 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Bali at $1,290. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,290 in Bali. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.