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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 39% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Balikpapan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

50.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

76.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

78.86%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

24.83%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.38 Rp 6,782

102.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.37 Rp 6,529

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

7.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

72.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

19.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

120.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

-2.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

38.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

-14.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

122.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.55 Rp 9,817

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.34 Rp 5,944

70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

-17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

90.79%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

-10.62%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

-15.24%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

-8.92%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

185.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

-30.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

59.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

-54.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

130.88%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

727.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

111.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

26.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$141 Rp 2.5M

-33.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

4.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$203 Rp 3.6M

140.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$156 Rp 2.8M

84.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$557 Rp 9.9M

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$367 Rp 6.5M

41.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

82.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$709 Rp 12.6M

103.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$245 Rp 4.3M

145.11%

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 Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 145% 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 $11.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $203 per month, with Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Balikpapan differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $672 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% 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 $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.