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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $677 in Madiun, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,033 in Madiun, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,390 in Madiun, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Madiun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Madiun are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Madiun 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$1.35 Rp 23.3K

45.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$9.18 Rp 158.4K

104.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$3.92 Rp 67.7K

102.04%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

35.46%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.54 Rp 9,370

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.32 Rp 5,482

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.36 Rp 58.1K

13.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.20 Rp 20.7K

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.37 Rp 23.6K

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

42.17%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.28 Rp 22.1K

57.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$6.76 Rp 116.7K

135.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.71 Rp 64.1K

-18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$8.04 Rp 138.8K

33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.88 Rp 49.8K

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.40 Rp 24.2K

-12.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.36 Rp 23.5K

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.09 Rp 18.8K

44.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.11 Rp 19.1K

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$2.27 Rp 39.2K

-48.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.45 Rp 7,776

48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.42 Rp 7,203

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$3.11 Rp 53.7K

45.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$17.17 Rp 296.5K

6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$2.55 Rp 44.0K

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$4.79 Rp 82.7K

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.30 Rp 5,104

196.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$10.04 Rp 173.3K

93.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.21 Rp 3,622

542.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.31 Rp 5,401

335.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$4.24 Rp 73.2K

94.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.54 Rp 9,280

135.19%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$18.9K Rp 326.4M

11.93%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$27.3K Rp 470.7M

-17.53%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

-4.87%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$5.09 Rp 87.9K

170.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$24.48 Rp 422.7K

-28.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$23.32 Rp 402.7K

78.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$6.01 Rp 103.8K

9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$2.18 Rp 37.6K

165.14%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

321.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$4,481 Rp 77.4M

230.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$34.18 Rp 590.1K

59.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$29.75 Rp 513.7K

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$78.0 Rp 1.3M

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$101 Rp 1.7M

-31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$260 Rp 4.5M

62.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$157 Rp 2.7M

51.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$575 Rp 9.9M

43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$332 Rp 5.7M

55.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$1,272 Rp 22.0M

61.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$709 Rp 12.2M

114.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$140 Rp 2.4M

354.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Madiun: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $260 in Madiun. 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 354% 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 $9.00 in Madiun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $202 – making Madiun 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 Madiun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Madiun, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,015 in Madiun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $72.7 in Madiun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $677 in Madiun, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madiun costs $677 versus $852 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 Madiun. 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.