😐A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $635 in Gresik, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Gresik, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,326 in Gresik, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Gresik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Gresik are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai35% lower, Gresik53% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98฿65.1
$1.26Rp 22.6K
57.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80฿620
$11.09Rp 199.3K
69.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75฿255
$2.98Rp 53.5K
160.07%
Cappuccino
$1.92฿63.2
$1.45Rp 26.1K
32.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79฿26.09
$0.39Rp 6,946
102.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$0.16Rp 2,789
125.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.9
$1.58Rp 28.4K
39.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿121
$2.37Rp 42.6K
54.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿54.5
$1.11Rp 19.9K
48.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.8
$1.13Rp 20.4K
44.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿39.31
$0.75Rp 13.4K
58.67%
Eggs
$2.00฿65.8
$1.32Rp 23.7K
51.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98฿526
$8.85Rp 159.1K
80.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03฿99.7
$3.10Rp 55.6K
-2.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿358
$6.83Rp 122.7K
59.00%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76฿91.0
$2.31Rp 41.5K
19.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18฿38.87
$1.55Rp 27.8K
-23.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64฿54.1
$2.12Rp 38.0K
-22.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.1
$1.47Rp 26.5K
3.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿45.63
$1.32Rp 23.7K
4.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19฿39.29
$1.73Rp 31.0K
-31.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70฿23.13
$1.08Rp 19.5K
-35.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.34
$0.38Rp 6,901
47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58฿151
$2.14Rp 38.4K
114.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿546
$11.32Rp 203.4K
46.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.2
$1.20Rp 21.6K
52.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20฿105
$2.38Rp 42.8K
34.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿28.90
$0.32Rp 5,785
175.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72฿617
$10.05Rp 180.6K
86.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿44.68
$0.45Rp 7,996
202.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿44.16
$0.31Rp 5,575
332.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿258
$2.78Rp 49.9K
182.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23฿40.39
$0.63Rp 11.2K
95.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K฿712.5K
$21.0KRp 376.7M
3.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿742.9K
$35.2KRp 631.9M
-35.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5฿2,324
$82.0Rp 1.5M
-13.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68฿451
$4.17Rp 74.9K
228.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45฿575
$19.78Rp 355.4K
-11.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33฿1,362
$22.19Rp 398.6K
86.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿229
$6.31Rp 113.4K
10.30%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77฿190
$2.39Rp 43.0K
141.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307฿10.1K
$19.94Rp 358.2K
1440.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿481.4K
$9,463Rp 170.0M
54.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,838
$43.39Rp 779.6K
28.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21฿864
$24.58Rp 441.6K
6.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8฿2,825
$74.3Rp 1.3M
15.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2฿2,380
$68.8Rp 1.2M
5.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.2K
$260Rp 4.7M
65.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿7,865
$156Rp 2.8M
52.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817฿26.9K
$585Rp 10.5M
39.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511฿16.8K
$330Rp 5.9M
54.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983฿65.3K
$1,021Rp 18.3M
94.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484฿48.9K
$624Rp 11.2M
137.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Gresik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619฿20.4K
$177Rp 3.2M
250.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
8.33
-39.98%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Gresik: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $260 in Gresik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 250% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in Gresik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $180 – making Gresik 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 Gresik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Gresik?
Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Gresik, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Gresik?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $952 in Gresik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Gresik?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gresik, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Gresik?
Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $19.94 in Gresik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Gresik?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Gresik?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $635 in Gresik, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Gresik?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gresik costs $635 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Gresik?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Gresik?
If budget matters most, go with Gresik. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared