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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $668 in Samarinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,042 in Samarinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,417 in Samarinda, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Samarinda, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Samarinda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Samarinda 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

70.27%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

19.87%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.45 Rp 8,041

71.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.23 Rp 4,096

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

6.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

89.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

75.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

112.12%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

53.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

112.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

-18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

-47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

44.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

-43.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.56 Rp 9,912

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

102.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

-12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.31 Rp 5,563

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.50 Rp 8,867

134.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.29 Rp 5,160

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

-18.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

79.01%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

-19.86%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

-13.69%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

-8.50%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

170.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

94.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

-47.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

137.55%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

693.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

118.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

33.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

-17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

25.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$198 Rp 3.5M

147.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$135 Rp 2.4M

112.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$483 Rp 8.5M

84.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$358 Rp 6.3M

45.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

72.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$687 Rp 12.2M

110.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$340 Rp 6.0M

77.05%

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 Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $198 in Samarinda. 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 77% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $217 – making Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Samarinda, 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 $1,001 in Samarinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samarinda, 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 $14.00 in Samarinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Samarinda 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. Samarinda costs $668 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 Samarinda. 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.