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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,676 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,089 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,503 in Canggu, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 49% cheaper than Canggu, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Canggu, Bali is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.26 Rp 73.8K

-53.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.58 Rp 668.6K

-51.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.96 Rp 103.3K

32.89%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.41 Rp 59.2K

-43.99%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

-49.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.86 Rp 14.8K

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.47 Rp 60.2K

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.63 Rp 80.3K

-17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.90 Rp 32.9K

-13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.67 Rp 46.3K

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.25 Rp 21.7K

-5.60%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.45 Rp 42.4K

-17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$15.52 Rp 269.0K

2.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.36 Rp 75.5K

-30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.40 Rp 214.9K

-13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.86 Rp 66.9K

-32.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.63 Rp 28.3K

-25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.96 Rp 51.3K

-42.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

-32.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

-34.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

-50.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.07 Rp 18.5K

-37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.75 Rp 13.0K

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.31 Rp 57.3K

36.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$24.63 Rp 426.9K

-26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.91 Rp 50.4K

-37.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.91 Rp 50.4K

11.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.36 Rp 6,163

147.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$9.84 Rp 170.5K

96.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.57 Rp 9,935

136.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.51 Rp 8,789

164.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.35 Rp 127.4K

12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.01 Rp 17.6K

25.74%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.0K Rp 537.0M

-31.72%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$38.0K Rp 659.1M

-40.87%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$85.0 Rp 1.5M

-17.49%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.13 Rp 71.5K

233.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$24.71 Rp 428.4K

-28.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$112 Rp 1.9M

-62.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$7.39 Rp 128.0K

-10.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.65 Rp 80.6K

24.30%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$321 Rp 5.6M

-4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,197 Rp 124.7M

106.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$57.2 Rp 990.7K

-4.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.65 Rp 687.2K

-34.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

-8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$81.7 Rp 1.4M

-15.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$1,281 Rp 22.2M

-66.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$892 Rp 15.5M

-73.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$4,406 Rp 76.4M

-81.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$2,710 Rp 47.0M

-80.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$3,952 Rp 68.5M

-48.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$3,013 Rp 52.2M

-49.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Canggu, Bali: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $1,281 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: $243 vs $312 – 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: $852 in Chiang Mai, $1,676 in Canggu, Bali – roughly 97% apart. Canggu, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,514 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,676 in Canggu, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% 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 $852, than in Canggu, Bali at $1,676. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,676 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.