Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jakarta and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jakarta is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jakarta and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jakarta 37% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

$1.96 ฿65.8

58.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

$18.35 ฿617

-1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

$7.48 ฿252

-53.74%

Cappuccino

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

$2.02 ฿67.8

3.96%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,908

$0.85 ฿28.50

-35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,086

$0.36 ฿11.96

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.14 ฿71.8

31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

$3.59 ฿121

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.65 ฿55.5

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.57 ฿52.7

-26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$1.19 ฿40.02

-20.17%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.94 ฿65.1

-7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

$16.19 ฿544

-59.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$2.99 ฿101

8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

$10.94 ฿368

-30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$2.71 ฿91.2

8.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$1.17 ฿39.25

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$1.69 ฿56.7

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.60 ฿54.0

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.38 ฿46.54

29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$1.20 ฿40.45

117.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.67 ฿22.50

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,284

$0.56 ฿18.73

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$4.64 ฿156

-35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

$17.62 ฿593

16.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.86 ฿62.5

18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

$3.30 ฿111

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,760

$0.88 ฿29.68

-76.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

$19.34 ฿650

-36.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,622

$1.36 ฿45.90

-60.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,681

$1.34 ฿44.98

-72.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$8.21 ฿276

-62.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.22 ฿41.18

-34.43%

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

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

41.43%

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

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

45.23%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$70.7 ฿2,376

26.53%

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

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

$14.04 ฿472

-53.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

$17.49 ฿588

55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

$42.15 ฿1,417

-28.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

$6.88 ฿231

83.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$5.92 ฿199

-47.64%

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

$166 Rp 3.0M

$309 ฿10.4K

-46.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-35.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$55.8 ฿1,875

3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

$26.11 ฿878

29.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$83.0 ฿2,792

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

$70.5 ฿2,369

28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$432 ฿14.5K

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$239 ฿8,035

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

$822 ฿27.7K

40.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.9M

$512 ฿17.2K

28.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

54.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-2.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 Rp 7.6M

$579 ฿19.5K

-27.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

91.80%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $432 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 38% 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 $18.00 in Jakarta versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $243 – making Jakarta 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

Jakarta vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $166 per month in Jakarta and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $840 in Jakarta and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $840 versus $861 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 Jakarta. 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.