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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $625 in Pontianak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $983 in Pontianak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Pontianak, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Pontianak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Pontianak 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

26.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$11.10 Rp 197.2K

77.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

72.57%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

54.39%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.49 Rp 8,748

51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.23 Rp 4,087

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$3.11 Rp 55.3K

-20.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

62.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

51.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$6.76 Rp 120.1K

135.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

-2.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$7.78 Rp 138.2K

35.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

-18.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.80 Rp 32.0K

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.19 Rp 21.1K

26.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.43 Rp 7,727

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

48.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$20.57 Rp 365.6K

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.82 Rp 32.3K

-8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

-5.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.26 Rp 4,618

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.44 Rp 7,778

172.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.35 Rp 6,256

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$2.52 Rp 44.7K

-5.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

83.33%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$23.0K Rp 407.9M

-8.17%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$30.4K Rp 540.6M

-10.79%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

-3.26%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

131.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$22.24 Rp 395.3K

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$19.85 Rp 352.9K

98.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$8.25 Rp 146.6K

-54.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

141.61%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

759.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$6,984 Rp 124.1M

116.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$50.9 Rp 904.8K

7.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$26.75 Rp 475.4K

-4.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$224 Rp 4.0M

108.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$152 Rp 2.7M

85.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$550 Rp 9.8M

61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$313 Rp 5.6M

66.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,335 Rp 23.7M

48.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$639 Rp 11.4M

128.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$332 Rp 5.9M

78.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $224 in Pontianak. 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 79% 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 $11.00 in Pontianak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $195 – making Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Pontianak, 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $938 in Pontianak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $11.00 in Pontianak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 Pontianak, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Pontianak 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. Pontianak costs $625 versus $920 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 Pontianak. 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.