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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $681 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $970 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,258 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Pekanbaru are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Pekanbaru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

25.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$8.68 Rp 155.9K

111.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.49 Rp 44.8K

200.40%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

42.25%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.47 Rp 8,384

80.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.26 Rp 4,674

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.14 Rp 38.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

16.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$16.88 Rp 303.4K

-4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.40 Rp 186.9K

5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.96 Rp 53.1K

-8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.01 Rp 36.2K

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

79.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

-25.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-57.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.41 Rp 7,398

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

101.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$19.82 Rp 356.2K

-11.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.87 Rp 69.6K

-14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.30 Rp 5,311

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$9.33 Rp 167.7K

107.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

52.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.40 Rp 7,219

235.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

276.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

58.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$23.2K Rp 416.3M

-7.82%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.5K Rp 457.5M

-11.49%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

0.55%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$6.58 Rp 118.2K

113.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$27.97 Rp 502.6K

-37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.15 Rp 416.1K

82.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.41 Rp 223.0K

-44.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

84.42%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$174 Rp 3.1M

77.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,096 Rp 55.6M

380.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$34.18 Rp 614.2K

63.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$36.35 Rp 653.2K

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$257 Rp 4.6M

68.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$122 Rp 2.2M

96.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$930 Rp 16.7M

-11.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$151 Rp 2.7M

239.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

68.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$699 Rp 12.6M

109.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$181 Rp 3.3M

220.20%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $257 in Pekanbaru. 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 220% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $9.00 in Pekanbaru. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $247 in Pekanbaru – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Pekanbaru, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,021 in Pekanbaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $174 in Pekanbaru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $681 in Pekanbaru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $681 versus $861 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 Pekanbaru. 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.