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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $787 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,194 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,600 in Balikpapan.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 8% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Balikpapan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$15.12 Rp 273.0K

23.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

136.75%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

13.41%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.41 Rp 7,361

95.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.38 Rp 6,938

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

-8.40%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-26.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.25 Rp 149.0K

96.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

-38.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.72 Rp 139.3K

39.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.76 Rp 67.8K

-26.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

-19.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

-22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$3.74 Rp 67.6K

-68.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

-34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.01 Rp 36.4K

131.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$20.19 Rp 364.5K

-11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.18 Rp 39.3K

-17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

56.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$10.12 Rp 182.7K

84.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

16.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.37 Rp 6,708

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.07 Rp 109.5K

33.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

68.49%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$24.5K Rp 443.0M

-12.64%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$25.5K Rp 460.1M

-14.37%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

-23.38%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.12 Rp 56.4K

349.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$32.41 Rp 585.2K

-44.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$21.16 Rp 382.0K

92.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.02 Rp 108.6K

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

90.03%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

397.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,605 Rp 137.3M

93.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$42.03 Rp 758.8K

32.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$21.04 Rp 379.8K

23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$125 Rp 2.3M

-32.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$123 Rp 2.2M

-42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$222 Rp 4.0M

90.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$156 Rp 2.8M

54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$488 Rp 8.8M

63.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$302 Rp 5.4M

67.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,090 Rp 19.7M

75.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$597 Rp 10.8M

145.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$192 Rp 3.5M

209.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 210% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $15.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $249, with Chiang Mai cheaper for home cooking.

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 8% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $787 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 210% 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $222 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 84% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Balikpapan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 8% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.