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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $645 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $987 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,329 in Sidoarjo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Sidoarjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidoarjo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sidoarjo 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

25.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$11.30 Rp 200.6K

73.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.26 Rp 57.9K

73.93%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$0.55 Rp 9,793

229.09%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.46 Rp 8,176

67.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.26 Rp 4,582

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.13 Rp 73.3K

-8.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.22 Rp 21.7K

68.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

46.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

64.71%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.22 Rp 21.7K

85.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$7.99 Rp 141.8K

102.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

45.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$5.51 Rp 97.7K

70.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

197.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

84.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

151.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.04 Rp 18.5K

1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.29 Rp 5,171

148.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.40 Rp 7,186

32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.92 Rp 34.1K

120.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$25.00 Rp 443.7K

-26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.69 Rp 29.9K

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

-2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.31 Rp 5,450

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.45 Rp 7,910

160.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.38 Rp 6,809

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

107.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

81.25%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$25.4K Rp 450.3M

-17.19%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$32.9K Rp 583.0M

-19.56%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$86.9 Rp 1.5M

-26.71%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$4.81 Rp 85.4K

167.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$11.28 Rp 200.1K

81.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$18.85 Rp 334.6K

107.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$8.75 Rp 155.3K

-55.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$2.72 Rp 48.3K

141.91%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$95.8 Rp 1.7M

718.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$9,789 Rp 173.7M

49.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$72.1 Rp 1.3M

-23.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$40.05 Rp 710.9K

-38.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$83.8 Rp 1.5M

12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$229 Rp 4.1M

113.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$155 Rp 2.7M

86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$569 Rp 10.1M

56.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$361 Rp 6.4M

44.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,212 Rp 21.5M

62.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$677 Rp 12.0M

113.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.5

-25.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sidoarjo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $229 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $11.00 in Sidoarjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $170 – 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 44% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $968 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.

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

Groceries cost about 42% 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 Sidoarjo, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Sidoarjo 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. Sidoarjo costs $645 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 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.