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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $653 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidoarjo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sidoarjo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$12.38 Rp 223.5K

51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

152.73%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

238.33%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.51 Rp 9,237

56.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.28 Rp 5,070

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

-6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.43 Rp 25.9K

20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

37.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

29.03%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.44 Rp 25.9K

36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.11 Rp 164.4K

78.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.57 Rp 46.3K

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.05 Rp 109.3K

78.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

191.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

95.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

119.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.59 Rp 10.7K

169.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

75.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.32 Rp 5,857

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.42 Rp 7,567

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

117.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$25.11 Rp 453.4K

-29.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.86 Rp 33.6K

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.31 Rp 59.8K

0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.30 Rp 5,413

203.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$9.93 Rp 179.3K

87.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.44 Rp 7,983

220.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.31 Rp 5,639

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

548.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

48.19%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.0K Rp 378.9M

2.14%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.7K Rp 626.1M

-37.07%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-13.68%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.25 Rp 76.7K

229.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$12.46 Rp 224.9K

43.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.68 Rp 409.5K

79.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.01 Rp 108.5K

14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.94 Rp 53.1K

94.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$187 Rp 3.4M

65.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$9,552 Rp 172.4M

53.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$62.7 Rp 1.1M

-11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$39.18 Rp 707.4K

-33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

-14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$254 Rp 4.6M

66.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$160 Rp 2.9M

51.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$589 Rp 10.6M

35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$333 Rp 6.0M

52.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,176 Rp 21.2M

63.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$696 Rp 12.6M

110.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-39.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sidoarjo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $254 in Sidoarjo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Sidoarjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $185 – making Sidoarjo 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 Sidoarjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Sidoarjo, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $979 in Sidoarjo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $187 in Sidoarjo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $653 in Sidoarjo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidoarjo costs $653 versus $852 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 Sidoarjo. 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.