🙂A single person spends $668 per month in Ende vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,034 per month in Ende vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Ende vs $1,867 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 – Ende50% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.56Rp 28.2K
$2.04฿68.2
-23.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.41Rp 224.0K
$18.71฿624
-33.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.45Rp 62.2K
$7.86฿262
-56.11%
Cappuccino
$1.71Rp 30.8K
$2.03฿67.7
-15.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52Rp 9,333
$0.80฿26.64
-35.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26Rp 4,667
$0.35฿11.68
-25.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47Rp 44.6K
$2.14฿71.5
15.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60Rp 65.0K
$3.67฿122
-1.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23Rp 22.2K
$1.73฿57.6
-28.90%
White Bread(500g)
$1.18Rp 21.3K
$1.57฿52.4
-24.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93Rp 16.8K
$1.20฿39.99
-22.50%
Eggs
$1.54Rp 27.9K
$1.97฿65.8
-21.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28Rp 149.5K
$16.23฿541
-48.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.19Rp 57.6K
$3.06฿102
4.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.77Rp 140.2K
$10.80฿360
-28.06%
Apples(1kg)
$2.29Rp 41.3K
$2.77฿92.3
-17.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50Rp 27.1K
$1.17฿38.94
28.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89Rp 34.2K
$1.71฿57.0
10.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.55Rp 28.0K
$1.59฿53.2
-2.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36Rp 24.6K
$1.39฿46.51
-2.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89Rp 34.2K
$1.16฿38.56
62.93%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89Rp 16.0K
$0.66฿22.05
34.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44Rp 8,006
$0.52฿17.31
-15.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43Rp 43.8K
$4.65฿155
-47.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.10Rp 362.8K
$17.78฿593
13.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09Rp 37.7K
$1.79฿59.6
16.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17Rp 57.2K
$3.34฿111
-5.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,388
$0.91฿30.27
-67.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.63Rp 173.9K
$18.64฿622
-48.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.57Rp 10.3K
$1.41฿47.04
-59.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,246
$1.34฿44.70
-73.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.84Rp 51.3K
$8.11฿270
-64.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76Rp 13.7K
$1.23฿41.16
-38.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6KRp 444.7M
$21.4K฿715.1K
14.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4KRp 494.2M
$21.8K฿728.0K
25.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.4Rp 1.3M
$71.3฿2,379
-1.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.34Rp 78.4K
$14.01฿467
-69.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.15Rp 417.9K
$17.93฿598
29.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.43Rp 423.0K
$40.82฿1,362
-42.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.26Rp 113.0K
$6.88฿230
-9.01%
Cinema Ticket
$3.02Rp 54.5K
$5.72฿191
-47.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$92.1Rp 1.7M
$308฿10.3K
-70.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,612Rp 137.4M
$14.7K฿489.7K
-48.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.36Rp 764.7K
$55.8฿1,860
-24.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.74Rp 554.9K
$26.04฿869
18.05%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.0Rp 1.2M
$84.8฿2,829
-21.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.2Rp 1.3M
$71.0฿2,368
4.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$254Rp 4.6M
$423฿14.1K
-39.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$156Rp 2.8M
$242฿8,088
-35.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577Rp 10.4M
$797฿26.6K
-27.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$338Rp 6.1M
$507฿16.9K
-33.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$993Rp 17.9M
$1,918฿64.0K
-48.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$695Rp 12.5M
$1,464฿48.8K
-52.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ende
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$595฿19.9K
-
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: July 25, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Ende 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Ende versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 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 and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,002 per month in Ende 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, 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 in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $92.1 per month in Ende 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 Ende or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 18% 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 in Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $668 in Ende and $852 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 $668 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 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 to 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.