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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $668 in Jambi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,041 in Jambi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,414 in Jambi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Jambi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Jambi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Jambi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$18.52 Rp 318.3K

-0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

125.90%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.41 Rp 24.2K

36.88%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

-38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.23 Rp 3,954

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

-15.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.48 Rp 42.7K

49.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

41.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$0.89 Rp 15.3K

32.58%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.94 Rp 136.4K

102.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.73 Rp 132.8K

41.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.41 Rp 41.5K

9.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.50 Rp 25.7K

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

-10.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.39 Rp 23.9K

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.45 Rp 7,673

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.56 Rp 44.0K

76.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$23.65 Rp 406.4K

-22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$2.09 Rp 35.9K

-13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$3.10 Rp 53.3K

2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.32 Rp 5,582

181.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$10.03 Rp 172.3K

89.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.54 Rp 9,242

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.35 Rp 5,941

274.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

183.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

54.22%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$25.0K Rp 429.7M

-14.83%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$27.2K Rp 466.6M

-20.06%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

-0.79%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$4.39 Rp 75.4K

218.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$22.54 Rp 387.4K

-20.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$17.21 Rp 295.7K

145.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

6.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$2.79 Rp 47.9K

112.19%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

218.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,452 Rp 128.1M

99.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$42.00 Rp 721.7K

33.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$30.46 Rp 523.5K

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

-2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$257 Rp 4.4M

69.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$159 Rp 2.7M

51.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$587 Rp 10.1M

35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$334 Rp 5.7M

49.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,200 Rp 20.6M

66.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$837 Rp 14.4M

83.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$217 Rp 3.7M

189.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Jambi: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $257 in Jambi. 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 190% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Jambi. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Jambi – so Jambi 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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Jambi, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,002 in Jambi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.9 in Jambi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $668 in Jambi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jambi costs $668 versus $845 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 Jambi. 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.