Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $583 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,223 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Banda Aceh 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.53 Rp 224.5K

50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.42 Rp 61.2K

126.61%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

68.42%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.51 Rp 9,196

54.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.28 Rp 5,070

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.42 Rp 43.3K

-8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.44 Rp 61.7K

6.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.22 Rp 21.9K

35.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

38.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

105.17%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.13 Rp 145.7K

96.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.22 Rp 57.6K

-5.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.74 Rp 138.7K

40.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

14.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

-11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

-37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.41 Rp 7,426

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.56 Rp 45.9K

78.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.30 Rp 5,318

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.10 Rp 180.9K

85.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.53 Rp 9,424

156.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.38 Rp 6,741

252.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

162.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

105.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$24.9K Rp 445.3M

-13.00%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.4K Rp 491.5M

-17.81%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$68.5 Rp 1.2M

2.98%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.40 Rp 78.8K

210.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$23.25 Rp 416.6K

-24.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$22.74 Rp 407.4K

81.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.18 Rp 110.8K

12.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.12 Rp 55.8K

84.94%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

226.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,656 Rp 137.2M

90.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$32.50 Rp 582.2K

71.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.01 Rp 412.2K

13.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$35.01 Rp 627.3K

144.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$33.18 Rp 594.4K

117.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$256 Rp 4.6M

68.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$160 Rp 2.9M

48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$595 Rp 10.7M

37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$339 Rp 6.1M

50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $256 in Banda Aceh. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $165 – making Banda Aceh 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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $875 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.1 in Banda Aceh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $583 in Banda Aceh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banda Aceh. 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.