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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $646 in Timika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Timika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Timika, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Timika, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Timika are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Timika 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.6

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

24.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿665

$13.81 Rp 245.8K

44.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿186

$3.41 Rp 60.7K

63.64%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.53 Rp 27.2K

13.73%

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

$0.72 ฿24.05

$0.42 Rp 7,463

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.69

$0.23 Rp 4,078

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.49 Rp 44.4K

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿127

$3.56 Rp 63.4K

7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.5

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

71.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

46.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.66

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

59.09%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

42.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$7.21 Rp 128.4K

116.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$2.92 Rp 52.0K

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿317

$8.01 Rp 142.6K

18.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.1

$2.32 Rp 41.2K

12.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.15

$1.31 Rp 23.4K

-17.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.77 Rp 31.5K

-10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.56

$1.25 Rp 22.3K

16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.67

$1.31 Rp 23.4K

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.14

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

-43.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.27

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.41 Rp 7,384

21.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$2.73 Rp 48.7K

56.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$20.56 Rp 366.0K

-14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.87 Rp 33.3K

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.6

$3.06 Rp 54.5K

-8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.92

$0.27 Rp 4,791

222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.54

$0.50 Rp 8,859

142.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.01

$0.33 Rp 5,870

63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.8

$2.89 Rp 51.4K

-17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.93

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

80.25%

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

$21.0K ฿702.5K

$23.4K Rp 416.3M

-10.17%

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

$26.7K ฿892.4K

$30.7K Rp 546.2M

-13.02%

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

$62.1 ฿2,075

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

-8.17%

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

$12.93 ฿432

$4.32 Rp 76.9K

199.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿689

$19.40 Rp 345.2K

6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,311

$19.89 Rp 354.1K

97.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$8.48 Rp 151.0K

-55.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$2.85 Rp 50.6K

128.77%

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

$803 ฿26.8K

$96.7 Rp 1.7M

730.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.3K

$7,877 Rp 140.2M

86.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,867

$44.10 Rp 784.9K

26.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿853

$29.98 Rp 533.6K

-14.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,045

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

23.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,450

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$234 Rp 4.2M

106.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,634

$155 Rp 2.8M

85.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$558 Rp 9.9M

58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$373 Rp 6.6M

40.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.5K

$1,174 Rp 20.9M

69.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$675 Rp 12.0M

113.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.46

-41.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Timika: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $234 in Timika. 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 $14.00 in Timika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $198 – making Timika 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 Timika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Timika, 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $968 in Timika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timika, 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 $14.00 in Timika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 Timika, where all-in costs run around $646, than in Chiang Mai at $942. In Timika 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. Timika costs $646 versus $942 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 Timika. 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.