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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,186 in Cemagi, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,943 in Cemagi, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,701 in Cemagi, Bali.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 20% less than in Cemagi, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cemagi, Bali 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$2.85 Rp 50.2K

-27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$32.65 Rp 575.7K

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.75 Rp 83.7K

18.95%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.23 Rp 39.4K

-18.83%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.41 Rp 24.8K

-49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.61 Rp 10.7K

-47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.28 Rp 40.1K

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.61 Rp 63.6K

0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.48 Rp 26.1K

32.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$2.14 Rp 37.8K

-29.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.08 Rp 19.0K

24.07%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.05 Rp 36.1K

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$17.04 Rp 300.4K

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$3.69 Rp 65.1K

-20.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.52 Rp 203.2K

-13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.40 Rp 60.0K

-24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.21 Rp 38.9K

-27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

-29.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

-53.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.53 Rp 9,404

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.21 Rp 39.0K

89.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$22.84 Rp 402.7K

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.19 Rp 38.7K

-22.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.28 Rp 4,919

232.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$9.29 Rp 163.8K

479.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.54 Rp 9,440

127.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.49 Rp 8,564

18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

-10.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

54.95%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$27.2K Rp 480.2M

-21.27%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$34.2K Rp 602.6M

-20.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

-22.85%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$6.54 Rp 115.2K

96.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$18.85 Rp 332.4K

7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$50.8 Rp 896.0K

-23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$17.18 Rp 302.9K

-76.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$4.07 Rp 71.8K

65.60%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$462 Rp 8.1M

68.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$5,489 Rp 96.8M

166.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$44.64 Rp 787.0K

21.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$34.62 Rp 610.4K

-26.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

23.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

-5.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$823 Rp 14.5M

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$502 Rp 8.8M

-42.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$2,639 Rp 46.5M

-66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

-59.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,072 Rp 36.5M

-5.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,684 Rp 29.7M

-12.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.78

-59.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cemagi, Bali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $823 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $33.00 in Cemagi, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $280 per month, with Chiang Mai 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 Cemagi, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Cemagi, Bali differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,186 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,421 in Chiang Mai and $1,779 in Cemagi, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $823 in Cemagi, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $462 in Cemagi, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Cemagi, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,186 in Cemagi, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cemagi, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai 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 Cemagi, Bali 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Cemagi, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.