🙂A single person spends $626 per month in Cimahi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $963 per month in Cimahi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,300 per month in Cimahi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Cimahi is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Cimahi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cimahi53% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.27Rp 22.9K
$2.04฿68.2
-37.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.43Rp 170.2K
$18.71฿624
-49.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.44Rp 62.1K
$7.86฿262
-56.23%
Cappuccino
$1.55Rp 28.0K
$2.03฿67.7
-23.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52Rp 9,462
$0.80฿26.64
-35.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27Rp 4,896
$0.35฿11.68
-22.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.68Rp 48.4K
$2.14฿71.5
25.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60Rp 65.0K
$3.67฿122
-1.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22Rp 22.1K
$1.73฿57.6
-29.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.11Rp 20.0K
$1.57฿52.4
-29.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.87Rp 15.7K
$1.20฿39.99
-27.50%
Eggs
$1.52Rp 27.5K
$1.97฿65.8
-22.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.58Rp 118.8K
$16.23฿541
-59.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.00Rp 54.1K
$3.06฿102
-1.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.87Rp 142.1K
$10.80฿360
-27.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.27Rp 41.0K
$2.77฿92.3
-18.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.28Rp 23.1K
$1.17฿38.94
9.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64Rp 29.6K
$1.71฿57.0
-4.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55Rp 28.0K
$1.59฿53.2
-2.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.43Rp 25.7K
$1.39฿46.51
2.88%
Onion(1kg)
$2.62Rp 47.4K
$1.16฿38.56
125.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.91Rp 16.5K
$0.66฿22.05
37.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,680
$0.52฿17.31
-17.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.60Rp 47.0K
$4.65฿155
-44.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.67Rp 373.2K
$17.78฿593
16.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03Rp 36.6K
$1.79฿59.6
13.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19Rp 57.6K
$3.34฿111
-4.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,406
$0.91฿30.27
-67.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.05Rp 181.5K
$18.64฿622
-46.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.54Rp 9,744
$1.41฿47.04
-61.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.38Rp 6,809
$1.34฿44.70
-71.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.50Rp 45.2K
$8.11฿270
-69.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82Rp 14.8K
$1.23฿41.16
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2KRp 437.5M
$21.4K฿715.1K
13.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KRp 470.6M
$21.8K฿728.0K
19.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$43.95Rp 793.5K
$71.3฿2,379
-38.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.58Rp 82.7K
$14.01฿467
-67.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.97Rp 414.7K
$17.93฿598
28.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.39Rp 422.2K
$40.82฿1,362
-42.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.05Rp 109.3K
$6.88฿230
-12.06%
Cinema Ticket
$3.08Rp 55.7K
$5.72฿191
-46.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$94.8Rp 1.7M
$308฿10.3K
-69.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,589Rp 137.0M
$14.7K฿489.7K
-48.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.30Rp 745.6K
$55.8฿1,860
-25.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.90Rp 557.9K
$26.04฿869
18.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$59.4Rp 1.1M
$84.8฿2,829
-29.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.8Rp 1.2M
$71.0฿2,368
-8.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$261Rp 4.7M
$423฿14.1K
-38.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158Rp 2.9M
$242฿8,088
-34.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$584Rp 10.5M
$797฿26.6K
-26.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$333Rp 6.0M
$507฿16.9K
-34.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,918฿64.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,464฿48.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cimahi
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$245Rp 4.4M
$595฿19.9K
-58.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
5
83.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cimahi: July 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Cimahi versus $423 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 143% 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 $9.00 in Cimahi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $244 – 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 36% more than Cimahi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $938 per month in Cimahi and $1,279 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 childcare costs compare in Cimahi and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $94.8 per month in Cimahi and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Cimahi or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 22% 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 $800/month in Cimahi or in Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $626 in Cimahi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cimahi or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cimahi costs $626 versus $852 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.