Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalimantan and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalimantan: $635 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kalimantan, Indonesia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Kalimantan
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$635
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kalimantan and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kalimantan and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $635 per month in Kalimantan vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kalimantan $635
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,013 per month in Kalimantan vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kalimantan $1,013
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,391 per month in Kalimantan vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kalimantan $1,391
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Kalimantan is about 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Kalimantan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kalimantan 53% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.69 Rp 30.6K
$2.24 ฿75.6
-24.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.48 Rp 262.6K
$19.00 ฿641
-23.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.07 Rp 55.8K
$5.55 ฿187
-44.68%
Cappuccino
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$1.67 ฿56.5
-12.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,871
$0.64 ฿21.55
-32.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 Rp 4,310
$0.31 ฿10.31
-22.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 Rp 42.4K
$2.36 ฿79.6
-1.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47 Rp 63.0K
$3.66 ฿124
-5.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
$1.95 ฿65.8
-36.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 Rp 21.2K
$1.44 ฿48.48
-18.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.86 Rp 15.7K
$1.33 ฿45.04
-35.34%
Eggs
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
$2.28 ฿77.1
-28.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.04 Rp 127.6K
$16.45 ฿555
-57.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.07 Rp 55.7K
$2.78 ฿93.9
10.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 Rp 141.0K
$9.31 ฿314
-16.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.9K
$2.35 ฿79.4
-17.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.8K
$0.97 ฿32.80
23.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
$1.60 ฿53.9
-15.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 Rp 20.6K
$1.50 ฿50.6
-24.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
$1.28 ฿43.12
-6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
$1.10 ฿37.19
63.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
$0.71 ฿23.82
8.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,469
$0.49 ฿16.37
-16.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 Rp 46.1K
$4.14 ฿140
-38.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.01 Rp 435.6K
$17.52 ฿591
37.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 Rp 34.9K
$1.61 ฿54.5
19.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 50.4K
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 Rp 3,859
$0.87 ฿29.31
-75.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.77 Rp 213.6K
$54.1 ฿1,826
-78.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,700
$1.16 ฿39.06
-58.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 Rp 6,666
$0.53 ฿17.80
-30.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 Rp 53.0K
$2.42 ฿81.8
20.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
$1.45 ฿48.90
-38.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K Rp 459.9M
$21.1K ฿710.7K
20.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K Rp 592.8M
$26.9K ฿909.3K
21.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.8 Rp 1.3M
$62.2 ฿2,098
13.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.81 Rp 69.2K
$12.17 ฿411
-68.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.30 Rp 386.3K
$20.12 ฿679
5.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.65 Rp 320.2K
$37.31 ฿1,259
-52.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.95 Rp 162.3K
$3.77 ฿127
137.40%
Cinema Ticket
$2.60 Rp 47.1K
$6.49 ฿219
-59.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$89.1 Rp 1.6M
$736 ฿24.8K
-87.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,037 Rp 145.8M
$14.8K ฿498.3K
-45.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.15 Rp 873.3K
$53.4 ฿1,801
-9.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.48 Rp 444.1K
$24.64 ฿831
-0.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.9 Rp 1.4M
$91.5 ฿3,087
-18.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
$71.9 ฿2,428
6.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$210 Rp 3.8M
$482 ฿16.3K
-56.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$139 Rp 2.5M
$309 ฿10.4K
-55.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 Rp 9.8M
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-46.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 Rp 6.5M
$633 ฿21.4K
-43.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,307 Rp 23.7M
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-44.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$900 Rp 16.3M
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-43.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kalimantan
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
5.57
69.84%

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

Last update for Kalimantan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kalimantan
$200
Chiang Mai
$234 17.2% $34
Accommodation & Living
Kalimantan
$139
Chiang Mai
$309 123% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Kalimantan
$101
Chiang Mai
$109 7.7% $7.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalimantan
$96
Chiang Mai
$94 1.5% $1.5
Eating Out
Kalimantan
$62
Chiang Mai
$78 26.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Kalimantan
$23
Chiang Mai
$50 120% $27
Getting Around
Kalimantan
$15
Chiang Mai
$61 311% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $210 in Kalimantan versus $482 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 $14 in Kalimantan versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $234 – making Kalimantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Kalimantan
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
15:31 3:31 PM
14:31 2:31 PM
1 h behind Kalimantan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,241 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kalimantan Chiang Mai 2,580 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kalimantan
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kalimantan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kalimantan or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Kalimantan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 Kalimantan and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $952 per month in Kalimantan and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kalimantan or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalimantan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $210 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Kalimantan and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $89 per month in Kalimantan and $736 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 Kalimantan or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kalimantan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Kalimantan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 32% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Kalimantan vs other spots: cost of living compared

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