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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Chiang Mai versus $508 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,332 in Chiang Mai versus $802 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Chiang Mai versus $1,097 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 67% more expensive than in Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, Banyuwangi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

153.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$12.33 Rp 221.2K

51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

160.47%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

39.86%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.38 Rp 6,900

118.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.19 Rp 3,484

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$2.35 Rp 42.1K

-5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$3.98 Rp 71.3K

-4.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

118.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

40.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

128.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$3.89 Rp 69.8K

315.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$7.11 Rp 127.6K

52.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

25.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

93.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

123.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

52.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

21.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.36 Rp 6,512

47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

93.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$5.56 Rp 99.8K

218.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

27.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.32 Rp 5,808

178.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$9.79 Rp 175.7K

91.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$0.45 Rp 7,987

213.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.29 Rp 5,141

344.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$2.81 Rp 50.4K

177.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

61.25%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$21.1K Rp 379.2M

2.97%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$31.1K Rp 557.5M

-30.22%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$50.7 Rp 910.1K

37.92%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

235.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$19.29 Rp 346.0K

-9.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$23.03 Rp 413.0K

80.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$6.04 Rp 108.3K

14.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

172.64%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$30.59 Rp 548.6K

879.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$1,216 Rp 21.8M

1094.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$24.50 Rp 439.4K

125.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$12.26 Rp 219.9K

114.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$62.5 Rp 1.1M

35.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$30.65 Rp 549.7K

129.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$254 Rp 4.6M

67.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$157 Rp 2.8M

49.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$596 Rp 10.7M

34.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$333 Rp 6.0M

54.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,171 Rp 21.0M

64.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$703 Rp 12.6M

106.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$154 Rp 2.8M

281.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

-26.90%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Chiang Mai and $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 281% 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 Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $127 per month, with Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banyuwangi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 281% 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: $425 in Chiang Mai versus $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banyuwangi – 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.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Banyuwangi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Banyuwangi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Banyuwangi 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 Banyuwangi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.