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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $611 in Mataram, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $985 in Mataram, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,360 in Mataram, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Mataram, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Mataram are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Mataram 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

118.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$9.19 Rp 162.8K

113.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.31 Rp 58.6K

71.30%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

14.56%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.42 Rp 7,461

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.33 Rp 5,866

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-17.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

12.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

49.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

103.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

-4.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.01 Rp 141.8K

17.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

-19.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

-37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-6.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.42 Rp 7,385

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

58.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$20.74 Rp 367.2K

-11.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.32 Rp 5,673

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.49 Rp 8,601

138.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 Rp 5,886

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$3.13 Rp 55.3K

-23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.62 Rp 11.0K

133.87%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.6K Rp 400.1M

-7.00%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$35.7K Rp 632.0M

-25.97%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$75.6 Rp 1.3M

-15.81%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.06 Rp 71.9K

217.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.22 Rp 340.4K

6.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$20.32 Rp 359.8K

92.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.23 Rp 128.1K

-45.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

126.90%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$106 Rp 1.9M

640.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$8,960 Rp 158.7M

63.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$46.12 Rp 816.6K

19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$29.40 Rp 520.6K

-15.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

29.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$231 Rp 4.1M

112.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$137 Rp 2.4M

110.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$641 Rp 11.3M

39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$371 Rp 6.6M

40.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,312 Rp 23.2M

50.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$668 Rp 11.8M

116.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$227 Rp 4.0M

165.50%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mataram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $231 in Mataram. 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 166% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $9.00 in Mataram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $205 – making Mataram 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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Mataram, 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 $916 in Mataram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $9.00 in Mataram. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mataram, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Mataram 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. Mataram costs $611 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 Mataram. 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.