Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bandar Lampung Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bandar Lampung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $569 in Bandar Lampung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $864 in Bandar Lampung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,159 in Bandar Lampung.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 52% more expensive than Bandar Lampung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bandar Lampung 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.68 Rp 30.0K

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$12.43 Rp 222.0K

49.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.25 Rp 58.1K

140.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

103.13%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.36 Rp 6,465

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.24 Rp 4,272

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.03 Rp 36.3K

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.26 Rp 58.2K

14.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

41.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

42.50%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

36.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.36 Rp 113.6K

154.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.04 Rp 54.2K

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.25 Rp 111.5K

74.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.97 Rp 35.1K

39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.41 Rp 25.1K

12.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

19.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.75 Rp 31.3K

-33.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.42 Rp 7,497

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.89 Rp 33.7K

148.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$20.91 Rp 373.3K

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.20 Rp 57.2K

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

52.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.54 Rp 170.3K

101.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.53 Rp 9,470

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.35 Rp 6,199

268.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.15 Rp 56.2K

148.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.67 Rp 12.0K

89.55%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$24.6K Rp 439.8M

-13.61%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.9K Rp 443.9M

-10.64%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$43.55 Rp 777.8K

58.60%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.53 Rp 116.6K

115.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$26.96 Rp 481.4K

-33.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.32 Rp 416.5K

76.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.23 Rp 164.9K

-24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

115.27%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$30.38 Rp 542.5K

884.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,575 Rp 171.0M

56.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$23.05 Rp 411.6K

137.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$20.56 Rp 367.1K

30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$21.58 Rp 385.4K

293.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$40.54 Rp 723.9K

74.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$258 Rp 4.6M

66.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$159 Rp 2.8M

49.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$587 Rp 10.5M

36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$329 Rp 5.9M

56.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,155 Rp 20.6M

70.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$727 Rp 13.0M

103.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$180 Rp 3.2M

243.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

-47.86%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bandar Lampung: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $258 in Bandar Lampung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 244% 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 $12.00 in Bandar Lampung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $182 per month, with Bandar Lampung 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 Bandar Lampung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandar Lampung wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandar Lampung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chiang Mai pays 244% 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 $258 in Bandar Lampung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandar Lampung – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $569 in Bandar Lampung – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandar Lampung gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandar Lampung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $569 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandar Lampung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bandar Lampung 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 Bandar Lampung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.