Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $651 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $951 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,250 in Bandung.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 46% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

43.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

72.84%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

22.82%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.46 Rp 8,134

69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.23 Rp 4,032

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

-23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

76.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

71.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

45.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

115.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

6.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

26.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

62.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

-40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.44 Rp 7,660

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

61.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

-21.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

-12.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.29 Rp 5,159

224.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

470.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

48.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.53 Rp 9,244

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

71.43%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

-3.13%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

-6.19%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

86.53%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

205.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

9.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

113.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

-35.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

140.50%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

733.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

78.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

-24.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$218 Rp 3.8M

122.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$186 Rp 3.3M

54.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$384 Rp 6.8M

136.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$266 Rp 4.7M

99.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$723 Rp 12.7M

174.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$312 Rp 5.5M

364.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$288 Rp 5.1M

110.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.38

-51.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $218 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 110% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $196 per month, with Bandung 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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 110% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $218 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $651 in Bandung versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.