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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $629 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $969 in Purwokerto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,310 in Purwokerto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Purwokerto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Purwokerto 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

46.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$9.09 Rp 163.0K

105.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.44 Rp 61.7K

127.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

36.36%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.39 Rp 6,939

117.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.18 Rp 3,150

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.60 Rp 64.6K

3.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

31.03%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.99 Rp 161.2K

80.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.76 Rp 139.1K

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.38 Rp 42.6K

15.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

-6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.72 Rp 30.8K

-5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

-56.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

-31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.30 Rp 5,363

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

86.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$21.95 Rp 393.4K

-14.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.03 Rp 36.4K

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

-6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.26 Rp 4,697

246.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.55 Rp 171.2K

101.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

67.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.50 Rp 44.9K

213.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

115.25%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.4K Rp 437.4M

-12.81%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.5K Rp 457.6M

-12.99%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$44.49 Rp 797.6K

55.25%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.66 Rp 83.5K

202.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$22.74 Rp 407.7K

-20.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$18.20 Rp 326.2K

125.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.09 Rp 109.2K

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

119.26%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$92.8 Rp 1.7M

222.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$7,558 Rp 135.5M

97.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$41.74 Rp 748.3K

31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$31.21 Rp 559.4K

-14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$57.8 Rp 1.0M

47.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

8.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$259 Rp 4.6M

65.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$159 Rp 2.8M

49.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$581 Rp 10.4M

37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$332 Rp 5.9M

55.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,384 Rp 24.8M

42.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$275 Rp 4.9M

435.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$120 Rp 2.1M

415.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $259 in Purwokerto. 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 416% 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 $9.00 in Purwokerto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $210 – making Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Purwokerto, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $944 in Purwokerto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.8 in Purwokerto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $629 in Purwokerto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Purwokerto costs $629 versus $866 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 Purwokerto. 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.