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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $651 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $982 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,313 in Medan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

75.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

142.86%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

8.33%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.40 Rp 7,122

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.25 Rp 4,419

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-27.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

39.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

31.03%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

22.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

65.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

-19.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

58.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

21.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

69.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

89.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.46 Rp 8,163

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.46 Rp 8,201

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

89.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

18.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.30 Rp 5,318

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

94.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.52 Rp 9,345

171.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.22 Rp 3,931

486.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

25.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

54.88%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

-24.21%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

-34.36%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-17.18%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

286.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-46.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

75.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

-4.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

65.36%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$126 Rp 2.3M

137.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

41.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

-37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$116 Rp 2.1M

-26.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$191 Rp 3.4M

123.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

140.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$544 Rp 9.7M

47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$231 Rp 4.1M

123.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

67.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$567 Rp 10.1M

160.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$215 Rp 3.8M

187.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

-45.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $191 in Medan. 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 187% 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 $11.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $187 – making Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Medan, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $977 in Medan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $126 in Medan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $651 in Medan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $651 versus $866 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 Medan. 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.