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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $578 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $892 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,206 in Magelang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Magelang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Magelang 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

32.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$9.40 Rp 168.4K

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

161.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

125.88%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.38 Rp 6,881

107.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.16 Rp 2,954

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

36.78%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.17 Rp 128.4K

122.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

14.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

39.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

-4.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-20.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.40 Rp 7,119

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

80.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$16.80 Rp 301.1K

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.70 Rp 30.4K

7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.33 Rp 5,831

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$9.90 Rp 177.4K

89.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.44 Rp 7,895

209.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.29 Rp 5,176

362.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

228.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

59.74%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$28.7K Rp 513.8M

-24.60%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.7K Rp 567.5M

-28.82%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$50.7 Rp 908.4K

39.13%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

227.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.23 Rp 344.5K

-9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$14.85 Rp 266.0K

178.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.90 Rp 69.9K

78.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

112.92%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$49.85 Rp 893.1K

516.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,285 Rp 76.8M

240.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$21.81 Rp 390.7K

155.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$21.16 Rp 379.2K

23.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$64.1 Rp 1.1M

33.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

23.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$259 Rp 4.6M

65.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$160 Rp 2.9M

49.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$575 Rp 10.3M

42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$337 Rp 6.0M

51.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,146 Rp 20.5M

73.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$678 Rp 12.1M

118.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$169 Rp 3.0M

265.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-39.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Magelang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $259 in Magelang. 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 266% 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 Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $181 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Magelang, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $867 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $49.85 in Magelang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $578 in Magelang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Magelang costs $578 versus $869 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 Magelang. 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.