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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $587 in Bandar Lampung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $938 in Bandar Lampung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,290 in Bandar Lampung.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 59% more expensive than in Bandar Lampung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bandar Lampung 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

31.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$10.33 Rp 182.9K

89.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

116.41%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$0.90 Rp 15.9K

101.11%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.27 Rp 4,828

185.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.24 Rp 4,261

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.53 Rp 44.9K

49.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

105.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

108.96%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.52 Rp 26.8K

48.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.50 Rp 168.2K

70.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

-8.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.93 Rp 140.4K

18.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.96 Rp 34.7K

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.34 Rp 23.6K

8.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-29.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.41 Rp 7,244

29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

114.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$21.87 Rp 387.2K

-16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.45 Rp 25.6K

12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

-9.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.24 Rp 4,289

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.49 Rp 8,697

138.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 Rp 5,773

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.43 Rp 60.7K

-30.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

95.95%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.0K Rp 407.0M

-8.58%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$22.6K Rp 400.9M

16.72%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$39.64 Rp 702.0K

60.57%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$6.13 Rp 108.5K

110.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$11.36 Rp 201.2K

80.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$19.81 Rp 350.8K

96.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.34 Rp 147.7K

-53.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.91 Rp 51.4K

126.12%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$28.48 Rp 504.2K

2652.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$8,167 Rp 144.6M

79.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$16.84 Rp 298.1K

227.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$29.06 Rp 514.5K

-14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

28.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$106 Rp 1.9M

-30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$232 Rp 4.1M

111.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$159 Rp 2.8M

81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$570 Rp 10.1M

56.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$367 Rp 6.5M

41.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,168 Rp 20.7M

68.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$672 Rp 11.9M

115.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

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 Bandar Lampung: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $232 in Bandar Lampung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $10.00 in Bandar Lampung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $197 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 59% 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.

You'd need roughly $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $881 in Bandar Lampung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $232 in Bandar Lampung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $28.48 in Bandar Lampung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandar Lampung – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $587 in Bandar Lampung versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandar Lampung but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bandar Lampung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandar Lampung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $587 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 59% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.