Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $904 per month in Denpasar, Bali vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Denpasar, Bali vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Denpasar, Bali vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Denpasar, Bali is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Denpasar, Bali and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.08 ฿69.2

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.80 Rp 458.3K

$19.64 ฿651

31.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.8K

$5.65 ฿188

-33.45%

Cappuccino

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.81 ฿59.9

1.10%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$0.71 ฿23.66

60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,661

$0.32 ฿10.48

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.24 ฿74.2

-18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$3.63 ฿121

-22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-34.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

$1.50 ฿49.83

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-29.10%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-24.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 Rp 252.9K

$16.26 ฿539

-12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 56.1K

$2.95 ฿98.0

7.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 Rp 180.5K

$9.94 ฿330

2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$2.57 ฿85.3

13.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$1.06 ฿35.04

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

$1.61 ฿53.5

16.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

$1.52 ฿50.4

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.27 ฿42.14

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

$1.07 ฿35.37

85.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.72 ฿23.89

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,393

$0.51 ฿16.87

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

$4.19 ฿139

-56.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 Rp 338.6K

$17.87 ฿593

6.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.1K

$1.69 ฿56.2

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,904

$0.93 ฿30.70

-76.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 Rp 131.3K

$53.9 ฿1,787

-86.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,649

$1.23 ฿40.95

-65.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,595

$0.58 ฿19.13

-25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 Rp 56.8K

$2.42 ฿80.4

32.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-51.06%

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

$22.5K Rp 400.3M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

5.07%

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

$28.5K Rp 506.7M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

4.34%

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

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

$63.7 ฿2,112

14.50%

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

$5.79 Rp 102.8K

$12.85 ฿426

-54.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.73 Rp 297.2K

$20.22 ฿671

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 Rp 712.3K

$38.74 ฿1,285

3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 Rp 228.6K

$3.97 ฿132

224.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 Rp 56.6K

$6.74 ฿223

-52.67%

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

$382 Rp 6.8M

$778 ฿25.8K

-50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,414 Rp 78.4M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-69.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.21 Rp 696.5K

$54.3 ฿1,801

-27.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 Rp 545.5K

$25.45 ฿844

20.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

$94.3 ฿3,129

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

$73.4 ฿2,436

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 Rp 10.7M

$490 ฿16.2K

22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.4M

$289 ฿9,596

23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 Rp 33.4M

$894 ฿29.6K

110.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 Rp 15.9M

$517 ฿17.1K

72.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 Rp 25.5M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-26.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 Rp 21.2M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-19.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$602 ฿20.0K

-52.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $602 in Denpasar, Bali 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 111% 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 $26.00 in Denpasar, Bali versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Denpasar, Bali vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Denpasar, Bali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Denpasar, Bali vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Denpasar, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Denpasar, Bali and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $382 per month in Denpasar, Bali and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Denpasar, Bali, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Denpasar, Bali 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. Denpasar, Bali costs $904 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 Denpasar, Bali. 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.