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: $845 in Chiang Mai versus $517 in Banyuwangi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Chiang Mai versus $802 in Banyuwangi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $1,087 in Banyuwangi.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 64% more expensive than Banyuwangi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, Banyuwangi 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

146.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$12.26 Rp 210.6K

50.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.02 Rp 51.9K

148.34%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.32 Rp 22.6K

46.21%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.41 Rp 7,104

90.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.16 Rp 2,720

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.35 Rp 40.3K

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$4.08 Rp 70.0K

-9.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.13 Rp 19.5K

51.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.72 Rp 12.3K

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.82 Rp 14.2K

43.90%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

120.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$4.07 Rp 70.0K

294.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$2.26 Rp 38.8K

40.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.15 Rp 122.8K

53.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.17 Rp 37.2K

21.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$0.63 Rp 10.9K

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$0.74 Rp 12.8K

122.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.14 Rp 19.6K

35.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.90 Rp 15.4K

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.60 Rp 10.3K

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.36 Rp 6,251

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.42 Rp 41.6K

86.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$5.81 Rp 99.8K

215.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.50 Rp 25.8K

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.53 Rp 43.4K

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.32 Rp 5,573

181.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$10.00 Rp 171.8K

90.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.44 Rp 7,603

220.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.29 Rp 4,979

351.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$2.78 Rp 47.8K

191.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.80 Rp 13.7K

60.00%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$21.0K Rp 360.9M

1.40%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$30.8K Rp 528.7M

-29.45%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$51.5 Rp 884.7K

34.42%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$4.24 Rp 72.8K

229.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$19.62 Rp 337.2K

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$22.79 Rp 391.7K

85.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$6.19 Rp 106.4K

7.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$2.04 Rp 35.0K

190.20%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$31.33 Rp 538.4K

855.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$1,249 Rp 21.5M

1089.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$24.49 Rp 420.9K

129.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$12.09 Rp 207.8K

122.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

36.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$30.44 Rp 523.2K

135.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$254 Rp 4.4M

71.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$156 Rp 2.7M

53.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$586 Rp 10.1M

36.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$332 Rp 5.7M

50.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,218 Rp 20.9M

63.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$769 Rp 13.2M

99.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$156 Rp 2.7M

303.73%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Banyuwangi: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chiang Mai and $254 in Banyuwangi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 304% 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: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $12 in Banyuwangi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $129 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 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 304% 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: $435 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 89% 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 $18.00 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 64% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.