🙂A single person spends $661 per month in Ende vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,012 per month in Ende vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,363 per month in Ende vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Ende is about 22% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Ende and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ende51% lower, Chiang Mai37% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.52Rp 26.1K
$1.95฿62.8
-22.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.18Rp 209.3K
$18.43฿594
-33.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.40Rp 58.4K
$7.50฿241
-54.67%
Cappuccino
$1.65Rp 28.3K
$1.93฿62.3
-14.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54Rp 9,330
$0.78฿25.08
-30.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28Rp 4,857
$0.32฿10.42
-12.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43Rp 41.8K
$2.15฿69.2
13.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62Rp 62.2K
$3.71฿120
-2.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18Rp 20.3K
$1.71฿55.2
-30.99%
White Bread(500g)
$1.13Rp 19.5K
$1.56฿50.3
-27.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.87Rp 14.9K
$1.18฿38.06
-26.27%
Eggs
$1.54Rp 26.4K
$1.98฿63.9
-22.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.00Rp 137.4K
$16.04฿517
-50.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.23Rp 55.5K
$3.17฿102
1.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.04Rp 138.2K
$10.94฿353
-26.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38Rp 40.9K
$2.63฿84.7
-9.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51Rp 25.9K
$1.17฿37.61
29.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.83Rp 31.4K
$1.65฿53.0
10.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55Rp 26.6K
$1.54฿49.51
0.65%
Potato(1kg)
$1.31Rp 22.5K
$1.38฿44.34
-5.07%
Onion(1kg)
$1.87Rp 32.1K
$1.17฿37.54
59.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89Rp 15.3K
$0.66฿21.25
34.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rp 7,175
$0.51฿16.55
-17.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.44Rp 41.9K
$4.52฿146
-46.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.97Rp 394.7K
$18.32฿590
25.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12Rp 36.5K
$1.80฿57.9
17.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21Rp 55.1K
$3.18฿102
0.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.33Rp 5,593
$0.90฿28.97
-63.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.92Rp 170.4K
$19.00฿612
-47.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.54Rp 9,277
$1.41฿45.50
-61.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.34Rp 5,897
$1.31฿42.15
-74.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.90Rp 49.8K
$8.09฿261
-64.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.81Rp 13.9K
$1.28฿41.08
-36.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1KRp 414.4M
$21.3K฿686.1K
13.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2KRp 466.6M
$21.7K฿699.3K
25.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.6Rp 1.2M
$69.2฿2,230
1.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.22Rp 72.4K
$13.97฿450
-69.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.50Rp 386.7K
$17.95฿578
25.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.81Rp 392.0K
$42.31฿1,363
-46.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.07Rp 104.4K
$6.66฿214
-8.86%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11Rp 53.4K
$5.92฿191
-47.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$92.4Rp 1.6M
$299฿9,640
-69.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,539Rp 129.6M
$14.8K฿478.4K
-49.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.21Rp 725.4K
$56.2฿1,810
-24.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.48Rp 523.8K
$26.94฿868
13.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.0Rp 1.1M
$84.9฿2,735
-22.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4Rp 1.3M
$71.8฿2,314
2.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$263Rp 4.5M
$435฿14.0K
-39.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158Rp 2.7M
$240฿7,727
-34.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$587Rp 10.1M
$798฿25.7K
-26.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$333Rp 5.7M
$498฿16.1K
-33.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,154Rp 19.8M
$1,995฿64.3K
-42.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$879Rp 15.1M
$1,532฿49.4K
-42.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$173Rp 3.0M
$628฿20.2K
-72.49%
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 Ende: April 21, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Ende versus $435 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 263% 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 $12 in Ende versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $244 – making Ende 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
Ende vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ende or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Ende, 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 Ende vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $991 per month in Ende and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ende or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ende, 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 Ende and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $92.4 per month in Ende and $299 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 Ende or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 15% 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 Ende or Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $661 in Ende and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ende or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ende costs $661 versus $845 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ende 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 Ende or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Ende. 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.