Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Ubud, Bali $3,241

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

-29.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

-43.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

-1.58%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

-36.64%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

-59.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

-9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

-15.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

24.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

11.02%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

-5.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

-26.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

-23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

-33.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-35.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

-29.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-21.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-52.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.53 Rp 9,509

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

88.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

-18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

-4.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.23 Rp 4,112

273.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

498.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.47 Rp 8,466

157.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.43 Rp 7,737

32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

-57.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

73.49%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

-13.18%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

-18.25%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-22.08%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

84.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

-31.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

-79.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

52.94%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$493 Rp 8.9M

60.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

164.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

17.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

-29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

16.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

-9.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

-59.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$673 Rp 12.1M

-55.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

-74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

-67.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

-28.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

-35.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$166 Rp 3.0M

255.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.78

-59.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7% 126% $375

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2% 21.9% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9% 1.5% $1.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8% 11.4% $11

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9% 35.4% $28

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 79.5% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6% 25.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. 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 255% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $287 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

02:43 2:43 AM

03:43 3:43 AM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

74,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ubud, Bali 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,030 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.