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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $758 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,289 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,820 in Kuta, Lombok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Kuta, Lombok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kuta, Lombok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kuta, Lombok 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

11.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$16.07 Rp 288.8K

14.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.53 Rp 45.5K

195.65%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.41 Rp 25.3K

43.26%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.35 Rp 6,234

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.49 Rp 26.8K

43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.90 Rp 34.1K

88.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

42.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

-6.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

56.58%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.80 Rp 176.2K

65.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.87 Rp 51.6K

4.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.87 Rp 141.4K

39.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

7.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.87 Rp 33.6K

-9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

-22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.48 Rp 8,562

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.13 Rp 38.2K

117.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$15.35 Rp 275.8K

14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.87 Rp 33.6K

-0.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.90 Rp 34.1K

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.19 Rp 3,480

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$5.28 Rp 94.8K

266.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 Rp 5,798

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.28 Rp 4,954

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

111.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.52 Rp 9,416

134.62%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$17.2K Rp 309.2M

24.11%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$20.8K Rp 374.4M

8.15%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

19.40%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.04 Rp 54.7K

361.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$17.76 Rp 319.2K

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$53.2 Rp 955.3K

-20.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.55 Rp 63.8K

93.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

171.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$193 Rp 3.5M

59.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,196 Rp 75.4M

254.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$42.19 Rp 758.2K

32.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.71 Rp 533.9K

-12.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$384 Rp 6.9M

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$267 Rp 4.8M

-10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,349 Rp 24.2M

-39.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$822 Rp 14.8M

-37.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,094 Rp 19.7M

75.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$896 Rp 16.1M

63.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-62.35%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kuta, Lombok: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $384 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Kuta, Lombok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $199 – 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 14% more than Kuta, Lombok, 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 $1,137 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $193 in Kuta, Lombok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $758 in Kuta, Lombok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuta, Lombok costs $758 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 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.