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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $652 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $991 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,330 in Surakarta, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

36.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$12.08 Rp 218.0K

54.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

157.70%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.72 Rp 31.1K

18.02%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.60 Rp 10.9K

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.25 Rp 4,483

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.89 Rp 52.1K

26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

42.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

80.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

57.89%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

57.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.35 Rp 168.8K

73.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

6.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.32 Rp 132.2K

47.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.30 Rp 41.6K

20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

-20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.11 Rp 38.2K

-18.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

5.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.68 Rp 30.2K

-30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.45 Rp 8,158

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

114.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

116.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.83 Rp 33.0K

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.22 Rp 58.1K

3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.45 Rp 8,102

102.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$10.09 Rp 182.2K

84.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.47 Rp 8,523

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.31 Rp 5,597

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.78 Rp 50.3K

191.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

48.19%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.1K Rp 380.8M

1.61%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$35.3K Rp 636.5M

-38.11%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$84.1 Rp 1.5M

-15.13%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

528.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.64 Rp 354.5K

-8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$20.09 Rp 362.6K

103.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

12.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

173.68%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.76 Rp 663.6K

738.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,073 Rp 37.4M

608.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-11.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$38.17 Rp 689.1K

-31.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$77.1 Rp 1.4M

10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$261 Rp 4.7M

62.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$160 Rp 2.9M

51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$594 Rp 10.7M

34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$338 Rp 6.1M

49.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$158 Rp 2.9M

276.59%

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 Surakarta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in Surakarta. 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 277% 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 $12.00 in Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $176 – making Surakarta 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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Surakarta, 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 $978 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, 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 $36.76 in Surakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $652 in Surakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surakarta costs $652 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 Surakarta. 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.