Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $640 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Makassar
Learn more

Makassar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Makassar

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$640

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Makassar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $640 in Makassar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Makassar $640

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Makassar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Makassar $989

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,338 in Makassar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Makassar $1,338

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Makassar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Makassar 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$1.61 Rp 29.2K

39.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$9.07 Rp 164.8K

109.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.09 Rp 56.2K

79.61%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.98 Rp 36.0K

-15.66%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.49 Rp 8,981

30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.33 Rp 5,947

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$2.54 Rp 46.2K

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$3.18 Rp 57.8K

15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$0.57 Rp 10.4K

133.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.50 Rp 27.3K

52.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$6.43 Rp 116.8K

155.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.48 Rp 63.2K

-20.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$5.38 Rp 97.8K

73.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$2.35 Rp 42.7K

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.36 Rp 24.6K

-28.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.88 Rp 34.2K

-14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$1.26 Rp 22.9K

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$1.48 Rp 27.0K

-25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

-6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.41 Rp 7,416

19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.71 Rp 49.2K

52.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$22.04 Rp 400.2K

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.79 Rp 32.5K

-10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.93 Rp 53.2K

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.29 Rp 5,304

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$11.90 Rp 216.0K

354.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$0.49 Rp 8,832

136.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.34 Rp 6,238

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

-13.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

88.31%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$22.9K Rp 415.9M

-8.04%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$32.4K Rp 588.5M

-16.86%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$89.6 Rp 1.6M

-30.59%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$2.62 Rp 47.5K

364.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$24.31 Rp 441.5K

-17.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$21.48 Rp 390.0K

73.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$8.36 Rp 151.9K

-54.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.36 Rp 61.0K

93.15%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$91.7 Rp 1.7M

702.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$3,715 Rp 67.5M

297.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$27.01 Rp 490.6K

97.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$22.77 Rp 413.6K

8.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$74.5 Rp 1.4M

22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$39.35 Rp 714.6K

82.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$225 Rp 4.1M

114.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$144 Rp 2.6M

114.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$553 Rp 10.0M

82.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$363 Rp 6.6M

74.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$1,146 Rp 20.8M

106.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$795 Rp 14.4M

99.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$211 Rp 3.8M

179.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Makassar

$144 22.5% 53.4% $165

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Makassar

$194 30.3% 17.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Makassar

$74 11.5% 32.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Makassar

$116 18.2% 23.3% $22

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Makassar

$68 10.7% 12% $9.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Makassar

$15 2.4% 75.1% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Makassar

$28 4.4% 43.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $225 in Makassar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $9 in Makassar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $194 – making Makassar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇩 Makassar

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

13:33 1:33 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,427,619

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Makassar 3,480 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Makassar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Makassar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $959 in Makassar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Makassar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $225 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $92 in Makassar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Makassar, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Makassar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makassar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makassar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.