Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nganjuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Nganjuk: $625 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Nganjuk
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Nganjuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $625 in Nganjuk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Nganjuk $625

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $991 in Nganjuk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Nganjuk $991

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,357 in Nganjuk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Nganjuk $1,357

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Nganjuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Nganjuk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Nganjuk 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$1.71 Rp 30.7K
33.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$13.91 Rp 250.5K
41.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$3.27 Rp 58.8K
71.56%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.53 Rp 27.5K
8.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$0.47 Rp 8,373
48.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.23 Rp 4,139
34.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$2.18 Rp 39.2K
10.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$3.52 Rp 63.4K
5.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$1.13 Rp 20.3K
72.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
28.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
59.76%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
48.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$7.13 Rp 128.4K
133.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$3.02 Rp 54.4K
-8.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$7.83 Rp 140.9K
16.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
4.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$1.31 Rp 23.6K
-21.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.70 Rp 30.6K
-4.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$1.22 Rp 22.0K
22.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$1.25 Rp 22.5K
3.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
-41.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
-8.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.40 Rp 7,203
32.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$2.72 Rp 48.9K
58.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$21.24 Rp 382.3K
-15.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.90 Rp 34.3K
-16.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$2.92 Rp 52.6K
-2.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.27 Rp 4,843
218.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$0.50 Rp 8,913
142.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.35 Rp 6,257
62.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$2.61 Rp 46.9K
-9.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$0.80 Rp 14.4K
80.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$23.6K Rp 425.3M
-12.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$30.7K Rp 553.3M
-12.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$67.3 Rp 1.2M
-7.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$4.40 Rp 79.2K
175.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$19.40 Rp 349.1K
2.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$19.93 Rp 358.8K
86.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$8.44 Rp 152.0K
-55.21%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$2.71 Rp 48.8K
139.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$94.1 Rp 1.7M
742.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$7,683 Rp 138.3M
92.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$44.01 Rp 792.1K
22.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$28.55 Rp 513.8K
-13.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$73.1 Rp 1.3M
24.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$71.6 Rp 1.3M
-0.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$232 Rp 4.2M
96.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$148 Rp 2.7M
101.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$544 Rp 9.8M
67.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$359 Rp 6.5M
54.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$1,181 Rp 21.2M
63.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$789 Rp 14.2M
83.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Nganjuk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
606.50%
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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Nganjuk: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Nganjuk
$148 50.5% $150
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Nganjuk
$197 16.3% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Nganjuk
$98 9.6% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Nganjuk
$91 3.5% $3.3
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Nganjuk
$63 20.4% $16
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Nganjuk
$3.3 * 94.6% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Nganjuk
$25 49.3% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $232 in Nganjuk. 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 607% 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 $14.00 in Nganjuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $197 – making Nganjuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇩 Nganjuk
🕒 Local time
18:40 6:40 PM
18:40 6:40 PM
Same time as Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
69,011
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Nganjuk 3,260 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Nganjuk

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 Nganjuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Nganjuk?
Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Nganjuk, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Nganjuk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $937 in Nganjuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Nganjuk?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nganjuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Nganjuk?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $14.00 in Nganjuk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Nganjuk?
Groceries cost about 20% 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.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chiang Mai or in Nganjuk?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nganjuk, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Nganjuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Nganjuk?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nganjuk costs $625 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Nganjuk?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Nganjuk?
If budget matters most, go with Nganjuk. 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.

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