Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Canggu, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Canggu, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,664 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,077 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,491 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 48% cheaper than Canggu, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Canggu, Bali is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

-52.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$39.29 Rp 704.0K

-52.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.10 Rp 109.2K

27.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

-44.35%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

-58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.53 Rp 63.2K

-37.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.63 Rp 83.0K

-20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.87 Rp 33.4K

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.64 Rp 47.2K

-38.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$15.54 Rp 278.4K

2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.61 Rp 82.5K

-34.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.69 Rp 227.4K

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.83 Rp 68.7K

-27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.70 Rp 30.4K

-30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

-44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-37.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

-31.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

-50.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.39 Rp 60.8K

35.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$24.24 Rp 434.2K

-31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.98 Rp 53.3K

-38.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.33 Rp 5,890

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.09 Rp 180.8K

85.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

138.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.55 Rp 9,796

143.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.26 Rp 130.0K

7.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

25.51%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.3K Rp 560.7M

-30.90%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$39.0K Rp 698.1M

-42.14%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

-16.15%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.16 Rp 74.6K

228.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$24.85 Rp 445.2K

-29.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$115 Rp 2.1M

-64.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.75 Rp 138.9K

-10.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.61 Rp 82.6K

25.16%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$326 Rp 5.8M

-5.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,342 Rp 131.5M

99.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$57.2 Rp 1.0M

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$40.26 Rp 721.3K

-34.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$1,322 Rp 23.7M

-67.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$881 Rp 15.8M

-72.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$4,384 Rp 78.5M

-81.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$2,712 Rp 48.6M

-81.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$3,669 Rp 65.7M

-45.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,910 Rp 52.1M

-49.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-62.35%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Canggu, Bali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,322 in Canggu, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Canggu, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $315 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Canggu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai, $1,664 in Canggu, Bali – roughly 92% apart. Canggu, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,496 in Canggu, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,664 in Canggu, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Canggu, Bali at $1,664. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canggu, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Canggu, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $869 in Chiang Mai to $1,664 in Canggu, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canggu, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.