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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $672 in Tulungagung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,032 in Tulungagung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,393 in Tulungagung, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Tulungagung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tulungagung are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Tulungagung 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$12.45 Rp 223.3K

50.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$3.42 Rp 61.4K

129.24%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

63.56%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$0.50 Rp 9,051

66.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.16 Rp 2,830

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

-10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$3.59 Rp 64.4K

5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

35.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

31.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

34.09%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

30.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$8.18 Rp 146.8K

97.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$8.03 Rp 144.0K

34.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

11.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-9.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.37 Rp 24.6K

-2.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

-37.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.45 Rp 8,020

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.42 Rp 43.3K

93.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$20.56 Rp 368.7K

-13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$2.04 Rp 36.5K

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$3.09 Rp 55.5K

3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.30 Rp 5,355

196.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$9.78 Rp 175.4K

91.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$0.53 Rp 9,471

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.37 Rp 6,658

248.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$2.85 Rp 51.0K

173.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

57.32%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$25.0K Rp 447.6M

-12.77%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$27.5K Rp 492.7M

-21.05%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

1.88%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$4.34 Rp 77.9K

226.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$22.77 Rp 408.4K

-23.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$22.73 Rp 407.7K

83.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$6.32 Rp 113.4K

9.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

91.39%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$93.2 Rp 1.7M

221.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$7,608 Rp 136.5M

90.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$41.94 Rp 752.1K

32.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$31.12 Rp 558.1K

-15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

-6.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$254 Rp 4.5M

67.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$160 Rp 2.9M

46.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$596 Rp 10.7M

34.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$339 Rp 6.1M

51.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,086 Rp 19.5M

77.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$802 Rp 14.4M

80.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$112 Rp 2.0M

421.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Tulungagung: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $254 in Tulungagung. 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 421% 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 Tulungagung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $208 – making Tulungagung 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 Tulungagung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Tulungagung, 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,008 in Tulungagung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulungagung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.2 in Tulungagung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $672 in Tulungagung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tulungagung costs $672 versus $847 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 Tulungagung. 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.