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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $683 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $944 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,206 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Yogyakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

87.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$13.68 Rp 241.9K

43.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.43 Rp 60.7K

64.72%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.28 Rp 22.6K

41.41%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.37 Rp 6,619

91.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.23 Rp 4,060

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.53 Rp 44.7K

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.60 Rp 63.7K

0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

58.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.09 Rp 19.2K

37.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

71.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

71.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$5.71 Rp 100.9K

184.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$3.07 Rp 54.3K

-3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$5.68 Rp 100.4K

75.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.74 Rp 48.4K

-6.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.26 Rp 22.4K

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.18 Rp 20.9K

36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.07 Rp 19.0K

18.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.05 Rp 36.2K

-47.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.41 Rp 7,183

75.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.48 Rp 8,535

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

50.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$20.08 Rp 355.1K

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$3.76 Rp 66.6K

-24.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.20 Rp 3,587

365.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$8.95 Rp 158.3K

501.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

-14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.39 Rp 6,889

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$4.59 Rp 81.2K

-47.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

95.83%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$15.8K Rp 279.4M

35.73%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$27.5K Rp 485.6M

-0.45%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$67.7 Rp 1.2M

-5.92%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.76 Rp 84.2K

169.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$20.46 Rp 361.9K

-1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$39.43 Rp 697.2K

-1.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$2.53 Rp 44.7K

166.40%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$86.3 Rp 1.5M

801.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$4,149 Rp 73.4M

252.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$54.8 Rp 968.2K

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$32.80 Rp 580.1K

-22.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$86.2 Rp 1.5M

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$93.5 Rp 1.7M

-21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$218 Rp 3.9M

124.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$161 Rp 2.8M

79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$590 Rp 10.4M

51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$134 Rp 2.4M

287.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,688 Rp 29.8M

15.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$227 Rp 4.0M

550.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$228 Rp 4.0M

163.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.45

-34.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yogyakarta: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $218 in Yogyakarta. 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 164% 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 $14.00 in Yogyakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $186 – making Yogyakarta 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 Yogyakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Yogyakarta, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,024 in Yogyakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $86.3 in Yogyakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 Yogyakarta, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Yogyakarta 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. Yogyakarta costs $683 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 Yogyakarta. 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.