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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $634 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,343 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.45 Rp 25.7K

43.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$8.36 Rp 148.0K

134.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

150.88%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.31 Rp 23.1K

38.17%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.42 Rp 7,464

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.22 Rp 3,887

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.92 Rp 34.0K

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

48.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

57.30%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.68 Rp 29.8K

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.37 Rp 130.5K

119.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.54 Rp 45.1K

14.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.72 Rp 119.1K

40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

-2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.66 Rp 29.5K

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.44 Rp 43.2K

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.39 Rp 6,991

35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.11 Rp 37.3K

100.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$20.66 Rp 365.8K

-11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

-0.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.27 Rp 4,778

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$8.44 Rp 149.4K

537.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.37 Rp 6,527

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.97 Rp 52.5K

-19.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

101.39%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.8K Rp 403.0M

-7.67%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.4K Rp 485.0M

-3.53%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

-2.35%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$6.29 Rp 111.4K

104.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$23.94 Rp 423.9K

-14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$28.75 Rp 509.1K

35.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.36 Rp 148.1K

-53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

115.74%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$96.6 Rp 1.7M

711.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,970 Rp 141.1M

84.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$27.32 Rp 483.8K

101.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$29.79 Rp 527.4K

-16.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$56.5 Rp 999.9K

66.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$208 Rp 3.7M

135.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$157 Rp 2.8M

83.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$556 Rp 9.8M

60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$374 Rp 6.6M

39.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,357 Rp 24.0M

45.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$659 Rp 11.7M

119.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$179 Rp 3.2M

236.77%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $208 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 237% 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 $8.00 in Pekanbaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $203 – making Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Pekanbaru, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $952 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $96.6 in Pekanbaru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Pekanbaru, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Pekanbaru 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. Pekanbaru costs $634 versus $932 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.