Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kuta, Lombok Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kuta, Lombok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $718 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,200 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,682 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Kuta, Lombok, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kuta, Lombok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kuta, Lombok 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$17.88 Rp 317.0K

9.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.86 Rp 50.7K

98.25%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

29.29%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

-10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.40 Rp 7,157

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.24 Rp 39.7K

69.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

89.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.48 Rp 26.2K

2.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

77.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.41 Rp 24.9K

60.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$11.57 Rp 205.1K

39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

7.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.10 Rp 143.7K

16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.41 Rp 42.7K

11.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

4.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.59 Rp 28.3K

1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

-32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.33 Rp 5,913

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

183.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$15.30 Rp 271.3K

19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.61 Rp 28.5K

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

45.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.16 Rp 2,914

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$5.43 Rp 96.3K

890.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.30 Rp 5,301

290.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.28 Rp 4,889

107.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$3.95 Rp 70.1K

-39.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.49 Rp 8,665

195.92%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$16.1K Rp 285.9M

30.34%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$20.7K Rp 366.9M

27.72%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$61.7 Rp 1.1M

3.11%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.93 Rp 87.4K

161.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$14.23 Rp 252.5K

44.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$30.47 Rp 540.5K

28.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$10.06 Rp 178.5K

-61.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

182.40%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$315 Rp 5.6M

149.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$3,686 Rp 65.4M

298.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$35.93 Rp 637.3K

53.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$27.41 Rp 486.2K

-9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$60.6 Rp 1.1M

55.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$61.8 Rp 1.1M

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$452 Rp 8.0M

8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$270 Rp 4.8M

6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,401 Rp 24.8M

-36.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$671 Rp 11.9M

-22.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,100 Rp 19.5M

79.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$915 Rp 16.2M

57.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Lombok: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $452 in Kuta, Lombok. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Kuta, Lombok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $195 – making Kuta, Lombok 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 Kuta, Lombok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Kuta, Lombok, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,077 in Kuta, Lombok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $315 in Kuta, Lombok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kuta, Lombok, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kuta, Lombok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuta, Lombok costs $718 versus $932 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 Kuta, Lombok. 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.