Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and South Tangerang Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and South Tangerang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $775 in South Tangerang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,146 in South Tangerang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,518 in South Tangerang, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than South Tangerang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and South Tangerang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, South Tangerang 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

-14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$18.76 Rp 338.7K

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.28 Rp 59.2K

139.63%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

3.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.52 Rp 9,401

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.28 Rp 5,088

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.42 Rp 79.7K

-16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

33.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

27.66%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.63 Rp 29.5K

20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.49 Rp 117.2K

150.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.24 Rp 58.4K

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.89 Rp 142.5K

36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.80 Rp 50.6K

-1.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

-24.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.01 Rp 36.3K

-14.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

-14.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

-55.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.45 Rp 8,214

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.49 Rp 45.0K

86.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$21.22 Rp 383.0K

-16.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.08 Rp 55.5K

8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.21 Rp 3,790

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$18.70 Rp 337.5K

-0.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.35 Rp 6,302

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

225.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

64.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$25.1K Rp 453.3M

-14.63%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$32.6K Rp 588.1M

-33.01%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

1.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$6.16 Rp 111.2K

127.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.11 Rp 417.1K

-22.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$33.47 Rp 604.3K

21.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$10.17 Rp 183.5K

-32.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

91.30%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$113 Rp 2.0M

173.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,714 Rp 139.3M

90.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$41.85 Rp 755.4K

33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$30.15 Rp 544.2K

-13.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$63.2 Rp 1.1M

34.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$64.0 Rp 1.2M

10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$303 Rp 5.5M

39.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$250 Rp 4.5M

-3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$532 Rp 9.6M

49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$370 Rp 6.7M

37.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,160 Rp 20.9M

65.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$764 Rp 13.8M

91.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$438 Rp 7.9M

35.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

-47.86%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for South Tangerang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $303 in South Tangerang. 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 36% 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 $19.00 in South Tangerang. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in South Tangerang – so South Tangerang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 South Tangerang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than South Tangerang, 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 $1,162 in South Tangerang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in South Tangerang, 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 $113 in South Tangerang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $775 in South Tangerang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. South Tangerang costs $775 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 South Tangerang. 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.