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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $589 in Bogor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $828 in Bogor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,067 in Bogor.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 46% more expensive than in Bogor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bogor 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

55.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$9.40 Rp 168.9K

95.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.81 Rp 50.4K

166.19%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.48 Rp 26.7K

36.49%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.49 Rp 8,804

73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.27 Rp 4,870

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

13.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.09 Rp 19.7K

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

42.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

54.55%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.82 Rp 140.5K

107.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.11 Rp 55.9K

-3.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.97 Rp 125.2K

56.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.35 Rp 42.1K

15.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.26 Rp 22.7K

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

-2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

-6.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

-23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.41 Rp 7,362

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

103.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$16.28 Rp 292.5K

8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.60 Rp 46.7K

26.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.35 Rp 6,291

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$9.64 Rp 173.2K

100.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.47 Rp 8,399

189.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.33 Rp 5,987

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

274.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

50.62%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$24.6K Rp 441.8M

-13.13%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.9K Rp 465.6M

-13.04%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$43.40 Rp 779.9K

62.83%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.65 Rp 83.5K

201.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$22.57 Rp 405.6K

-22.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.35 Rp 419.6K

80.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.92 Rp 106.4K

16.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.00 Rp 54.0K

97.33%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

268.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,638 Rp 119.3M

124.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$41.26 Rp 741.5K

35.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$19.38 Rp 348.2K

34.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$59.8 Rp 1.1M

38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$264 Rp 4.7M

63.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$165 Rp 3.0M

45.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$369 Rp 6.6M

123.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$165 Rp 3.0M

210.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$540 Rp 9.7M

254.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$275 Rp 4.9M

433.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$330 Rp 5.9M

75.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bogor: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $264 in Bogor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 76% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $9.00 in Bogor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 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 46% 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.

Average pay runs 76% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $264 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 101% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $83.8 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 $589 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 46% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.