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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $661 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,008 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,355 in Palangkaraya, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Palangkaraya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.35 Rp 221.3K

52.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.91 Rp 70.1K

98.21%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

10.34%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

33.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.30 Rp 5,374

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

18.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

38.37%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.03 Rp 143.8K

99.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.36 Rp 42.3K

28.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.93 Rp 142.1K

36.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

-35.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

-11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

38.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

-60.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.44 Rp 7,897

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

144.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$20.38 Rp 365.1K

-18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.18 Rp 56.9K

0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.32 Rp 5,802

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$9.96 Rp 178.4K

87.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

138.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.35 Rp 6,210

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

164.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

73.24%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

-11.34%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.1K Rp 503.2M

-19.73%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$68.3 Rp 1.2M

3.33%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.42 Rp 79.1K

209.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.18 Rp 343.6K

-9.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

562.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

9.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

83.17%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

223.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,613 Rp 136.4M

91.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$40.92 Rp 733.2K

36.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$31.08 Rp 556.8K

-15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

30.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

-1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$253 Rp 4.5M

69.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$160 Rp 2.9M

49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$586 Rp 10.5M

39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$337 Rp 6.0M

51.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

97.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$700 Rp 12.5M

111.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$162 Rp 2.9M

280.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Palangkaraya: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $253 in Palangkaraya. 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 281% 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 $12.00 in Palangkaraya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $207 – making Palangkaraya 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 Palangkaraya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Palangkaraya, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $992 in Palangkaraya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $95.0 in Palangkaraya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $661 in Palangkaraya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palangkaraya costs $661 versus $869 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 Palangkaraya. 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.