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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

25.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

72.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

74.38%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

16.03%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.56 Rp 9,841

26.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.26 Rp 4,572

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

61.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

11.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

55.81%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

86.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

108.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

-0.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

26.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

27.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

-13.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

-7.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

-44.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

-25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.40 Rp 7,050

27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

113.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-29.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

-1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.36 Rp 6,271

158.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.47 Rp 8,334

161.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.47 Rp 8,293

23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

-10.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

76.25%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

-13.19%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

-17.39%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-28.40%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

166.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

108.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

-39.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

154.34%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$286 Rp 5.0M

172.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

50.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-23.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

-35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$290 Rp 5.1M

69.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$150 Rp 2.6M

93.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

-29.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$618 Rp 10.9M

-16.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

-12.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

37.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$277 Rp 4.9M

117.19%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Surabaya. 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 117% 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 $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $211 – making Surabaya 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Surabaya, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,032 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Surabaya 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. Surabaya costs $688 versus $947 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 Surabaya. 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.