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: $848 in Chiang Mai versus $778 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Chiang Mai versus $1,200 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Chiang Mai versus $1,622 in Balikpapan.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 9% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Balikpapan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

24.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

134.93%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

12.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.40 Rp 7,116

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.38 Rp 6,803

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

16.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-6.30%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-25.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

105.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

-36.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

-28.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

-22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

-26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-66.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

-27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

127.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

-21.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

-19.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

-26.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

93.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

12.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.38 Rp 6,652

252.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

36.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

72.97%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

-11.01%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

-13.83%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

-23.47%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

371.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

-44.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

90.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

11.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

91.03%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

389.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

97.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

32.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

27.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$124 Rp 2.2M

-30.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$124 Rp 2.2M

-43.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$222 Rp 3.9M

92.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$155 Rp 2.8M

53.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$492 Rp 8.7M

64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$309 Rp 5.5M

64.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

86.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$628 Rp 11.1M

139.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$195 Rp 3.4M

220.03%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 220% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $15.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $252, 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 9% in total monthly costs ($848 vs $778 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 220% more on average, 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: $428 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 94% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $303 in Chiang Mai versus $61.9 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 9% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.