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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $609 in Bogor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $847 in Bogor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,085 in Bogor.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 42% more expensive than Bogor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bogor 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

52.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$8.97 Rp 160.9K

107.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$2.80 Rp 50.2K

179.29%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

30.87%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.52 Rp 9,332

63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.25 Rp 4,481

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

24.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

48.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

58.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

46.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

104.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.12 Rp 55.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.02 Rp 125.8K

55.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

-1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.70 Rp 30.4K

-31.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.40 Rp 7,259

32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

102.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$17.09 Rp 306.4K

9.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.36 Rp 6,393

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.94 Rp 178.2K

93.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.51 Rp 9,102

176.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.34 Rp 6,078

279.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

269.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

69.33%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.3K Rp 435.1M

-12.34%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.7K Rp 460.3M

-13.50%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$43.91 Rp 787.0K

57.30%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.56 Rp 81.7K

208.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.85 Rp 409.6K

-21.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$23.06 Rp 413.4K

78.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.00 Rp 107.5K

16.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

88.54%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$85.2 Rp 1.5M

251.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,553 Rp 117.5M

128.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$41.89 Rp 751.0K

30.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$19.18 Rp 343.8K

39.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$59.6 Rp 1.1M

42.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$63.8 Rp 1.1M

10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$267 Rp 4.8M

60.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$163 Rp 2.9M

45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$374 Rp 6.7M

114.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$162 Rp 2.9M

218.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,169 Rp 21.0M

68.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$729 Rp 13.1M

102.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$374 Rp 6.7M

65.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

-45.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bogor: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $267 in Bogor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 65% 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 $9.00 in Bogor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $186 per month, with Bogor 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 Bogor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bogor wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bogor the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chiang Mai pays 65% 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $267 in Bogor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bogor runs roughly 93% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $85.2 in Bogor. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bogor gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bogor delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $609 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bogor hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bogor 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 Bogor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.