Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $840 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,379 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,919 in Jakarta, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Jakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jakarta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jakarta 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

-36.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

116.18%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

-3.81%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.55 Rp 9,908

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.28 Rp 5,086

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

-14.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

35.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

25.26%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

7.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

149.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

44.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

-7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

-25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

-22.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

-54.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.46 Rp 8,284

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

-14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.21 Rp 3,760

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

58.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.54 Rp 9,622

151.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.37 Rp 6,681

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

163.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

52.50%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

-29.29%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

-31.14%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-20.97%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

115.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

-35.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

40.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

-45.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

90.97%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$166 Rp 3.0M

85.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

55.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

-2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

-22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$381 Rp 6.8M

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$236 Rp 4.2M

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$660 Rp 11.9M

-22.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

-35.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

2.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$421 Rp 7.6M

37.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

-47.86%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $381 in Jakarta. 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 38% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Jakarta. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Jakarta – so Jakarta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,260 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $166 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $840 in Jakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $840 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Jakarta. 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.