🙂A single person spends $597 per month in Cimahi vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $961 per month in Cimahi vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,326 per month in Cimahi vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Cimahi is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Cimahi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cimahi56% lower, Chiang Mai32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.66Rp 29.4K
$2.08฿69.5
-20.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.29Rp 253.0K
$19.61฿655
-27.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.49Rp 61.8K
$5.67฿189
-38.45%
Cappuccino
$1.58Rp 27.9K
$1.81฿60.3
-12.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46Rp 8,163
$0.77฿25.65
-40.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23Rp 4,052
$0.35฿11.53
-34.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.76Rp 48.8K
$2.21฿73.9
24.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07Rp 54.3K
$3.79฿127
-19.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13Rp 20.0K
$2.05฿68.4
-44.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.03Rp 18.3K
$1.51฿50.6
-31.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.83Rp 14.7K
$1.40฿46.69
-40.71%
Eggs
$1.50Rp 26.5K
$2.26฿75.4
-33.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.33Rp 129.8K
$16.19฿540
-54.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.88Rp 51.1K
$2.90฿96.7
-0.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.80Rp 138.2K
$9.42฿314
-17.20%
Apples(1kg)
$2.23Rp 39.6K
$2.68฿89.4
-16.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.13Rp 19.9K
$1.09฿36.37
3.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.55Rp 27.4K
$1.62฿54.0
-4.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.98Rp 17.4K
$1.46฿48.74
-32.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08Rp 19.1K
$1.28฿42.65
-15.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90Rp 33.6K
$1.06฿35.31
79.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70Rp 12.5K
$0.72฿23.94
-2.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,642
$0.53฿17.56
-18.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.77Rp 49.0K
$4.23฿141
-34.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$21.11Rp 373.8K
$18.29฿611
15.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88Rp 33.2K
$1.63฿54.4
15.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09Rp 54.7K
$2.90฿96.8
6.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29Rp 5,093
$0.88฿29.32
-67.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$53.8฿1,795
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.52Rp 9,288
$1.17฿39.14
-55.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,217
$0.58฿19.30
-39.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.37Rp 41.9K
$2.39฿79.6
-0.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84Rp 14.9K
$1.45฿48.41
-42.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3KRp 377.1M
$21.0K฿701.4K
1.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1KRp 516.1M
$26.4K฿882.0K
10.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$34.20Rp 605.5K
$63.7฿2,125
-46.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.42Rp 78.3K
$12.89฿430
-65.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.15Rp 339.0K
$20.52฿685
-6.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.00Rp 354.1K
$39.02฿1,302
-48.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.37Rp 148.3K
$3.92฿131
113.52%
Cinema Ticket
$2.76Rp 48.8K
$6.58฿220
-58.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$95.9Rp 1.7M
$784฿26.2K
-87.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,308Rp 147.1M
$14.7K฿489.8K
-43.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.42Rp 715.7K
$55.1฿1,840
-26.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.43Rp 521.2K
$24.74฿826
18.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.3Rp 1.3M
$94.1฿3,142
-21.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.8Rp 1.3M
$74.0฿2,469
-4.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$218Rp 3.9M
$490฿16.4K
-55.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$138Rp 2.4M
$288฿9,620
-52.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$632Rp 11.2M
$891฿29.8K
-29.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$321Rp 5.7M
$521฿17.4K
-38.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,138Rp 20.2M
$1,974฿65.9K
-42.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$739Rp 13.1M
$1,444฿48.2K
-48.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$258Rp 4.6M
$602฿20.1K
-57.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
5.57
69.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cimahi: September 14, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Cimahi versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 133% 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 $14.00 in Cimahi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $241 – making Cimahi 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
Cimahi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cimahi or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 56% more than Cimahi, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cimahi and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $896 per month in Cimahi and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cimahi or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cimahi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Cimahi and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Cimahi and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cimahi or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 25% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cimahi or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cimahi, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Cimahi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cimahi or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cimahi costs $597 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Cimahi compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Cimahi or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Cimahi. 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.