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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $607 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $933 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,260 in Medan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

20.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

124.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

90.88%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

16.77%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$0.34 Rp 6,114

108.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$0.25 Rp 4,458

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

1.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

81.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

61.45%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

105.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

-16.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

54.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

5.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

58.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

45.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

-38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$0.41 Rp 7,334

75.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$0.44 Rp 7,756

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-6.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$0.27 Rp 4,759

244.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

787.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$0.53 Rp 9,394

132.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$0.20 Rp 3,602

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

83.12%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-14.03%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

-13.45%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

-26.36%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

290.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

127.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

-54.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

96.50%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$114 Rp 2.0M

579.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

749.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$105 Rp 1.9M

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$115 Rp 2.0M

-36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$177 Rp 3.1M

176.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

225.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$497 Rp 8.8M

79.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$211 Rp 3.8M

144.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

70.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

$571 Rp 10.1M

158.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$214 Rp 3.8M

181.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.25

-39.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $177 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 181% 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 Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $182 – 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 56% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $911 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $114 in Medan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medan, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Medan 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. Medan costs $607 versus $947 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.