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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $652 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,012 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,371 in Yogyakarta, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Yogyakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Yogyakarta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Yogyakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

37.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$9.01 Rp 161.6K

106.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

150.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

33.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.53 Rp 9,555

60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.28 Rp 5,073

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.30 Rp 59.2K

13.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

18.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

39.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.10 Rp 127.3K

128.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.13 Rp 145.8K

34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

16.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

54.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.46 Rp 8,187

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.39 Rp 6,934

35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.53 Rp 45.4K

85.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$16.85 Rp 302.0K

10.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.30 Rp 59.1K

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.21 Rp 3,755

328.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.79 Rp 175.5K

96.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.47 Rp 8,428

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.31 Rp 5,574

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.19 Rp 75.0K

87.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

54.88%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$19.2K Rp 344.5M

10.73%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$27.1K Rp 486.6M

-18.17%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

-6.28%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.31 Rp 77.3K

226.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$19.59 Rp 351.1K

-8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$15.17 Rp 272.0K

170.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

128.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.82 Rp 50.5K

109.93%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

312.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$4,468 Rp 80.1M

234.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$34.45 Rp 617.5K

58.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$30.38 Rp 544.6K

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$194 Rp 3.5M

120.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$171 Rp 3.1M

39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$782 Rp 14.0M

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$386 Rp 6.9M

33.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,652 Rp 29.6M

19.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$223 Rp 4.0M

562.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$213 Rp 3.8M

189.41%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yogyakarta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $194 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 189% 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 $9.00 in Yogyakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $190 – 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 33% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $978 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $72.5 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $652 in Yogyakarta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yogyakarta costs $652 versus $866 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.