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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $664 in Bekasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,081 in Bekasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,498 in Bekasi.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 40% more expensive than in Bekasi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bekasi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

-17.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$14.25 Rp 252.3K

37.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

69.76%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

16.03%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.42 Rp 7,443

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.25 Rp 4,431

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.89 Rp 68.8K

-2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

75.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

52.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

35.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.71 Rp 172.0K

66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.02 Rp 53.4K

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$7.85 Rp 138.9K

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

-5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

-23.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-39.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.41 Rp 24.9K

-9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.13 Rp 37.8K

-50.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.93 Rp 16.4K

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.45 Rp 7,967

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.68 Rp 47.5K

57.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$22.26 Rp 394.2K

-17.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

-19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$3.18 Rp 56.3K

-8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.35 Rp 6,268

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$11.36 Rp 201.2K

373.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.45 Rp 7,938

28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

88.31%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$21.3K Rp 377.1M

-1.34%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$33.2K Rp 588.2M

-20.45%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$64.9 Rp 1.1M

-1.85%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$6.07 Rp 107.5K

112.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.54 Rp 345.9K

5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$16.16 Rp 286.1K

141.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$6.31 Rp 111.8K

-37.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

89.63%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$132 Rp 2.3M

491.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$8,275 Rp 146.5M

77.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$59.7 Rp 1.1M

-7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$32.87 Rp 582.1K

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$77.0 Rp 1.4M

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$204 Rp 3.6M

139.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$133 Rp 2.4M

116.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$469 Rp 8.3M

90.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$363 Rp 6.4M

43.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$596 Rp 10.5M

231.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$911 Rp 16.1M

58.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$372 Rp 6.6M

61.58%

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 Bekasi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $204 in Bekasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 62% 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 Bekasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $220 per month, with Bekasi 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 Bekasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Bekasi differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $664 including rent). Bekasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $204 in Bekasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bekasi – 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.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $664 in Bekasi – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $664 in Bekasi versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bekasi but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bekasi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bekasi 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 Bekasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.