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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $595 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $941 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,288 in Banjarmasin, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Banjarmasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Banjarmasin are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Banjarmasin 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

79.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$14.18 Rp 251.1K

38.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.45 Rp 61.2K

64.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

42.52%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.34 Rp 6,055

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$5.23 Rp 92.6K

-57.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.37 Rp 59.6K

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

54.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

58.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

62.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.16 Rp 144.5K

98.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

31.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

182.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

34.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-4.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.97 Rp 17.1K

67.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.98 Rp 17.4K

8.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-6.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.44 Rp 7,852

20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.99 Rp 35.2K

112.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$19.22 Rp 340.3K

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.07 Rp 36.6K

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.72 Rp 48.2K

6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$16.72 Rp 296.1K

221.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.50 Rp 8,793

134.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.32 Rp 5,753

81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.94 Rp 52.0K

-18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

72.62%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$25.6K Rp 452.7M

-17.81%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.5K Rp 593.6M

-21.17%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$40.57 Rp 718.4K

56.89%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

365.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$17.69 Rp 313.2K

16.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$20.43 Rp 361.7K

90.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.42 Rp 131.4K

-47.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

19.20%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$96.0 Rp 1.7M

716.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,529 Rp 133.3M

94.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$43.38 Rp 768.1K

27.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$30.84 Rp 546.2K

-19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$55.3 Rp 978.3K

70.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$33.34 Rp 590.3K

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$217 Rp 3.8M

126.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$165 Rp 2.9M

74.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$563 Rp 10.0M

58.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$370 Rp 6.6M

40.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,228 Rp 21.7M

60.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$752 Rp 13.3M

92.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$204 Rp 3.6M

194.98%

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 Banjarmasin: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $217 in Banjarmasin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 195% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Banjarmasin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $174 – making Banjarmasin 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 Banjarmasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $893 in Banjarmasin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Banjarmasin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $932 in Chiang Mai and $595 in Banjarmasin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjarmasin, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Banjarmasin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banjarmasin – 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 Banjarmasin. 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.