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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,260 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Kuta, Bali vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kuta, Bali costs about 50% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuta, Bali and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kuta, Bali 5% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 Rp 53.8K

$2.03 ฿68.4

48.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.81 Rp 497.8K

$18.71 ฿631

48.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 Rp 80.0K

$7.84 ฿264

-42.98%

Cappuccino

$2.49 Rp 44.6K

$1.93 ฿65.0

29.02%

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

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

$0.83 ฿28.01

45.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

$0.35 ฿11.81

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 45.4K

$2.22 ฿74.8

13.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 Rp 60.2K

$3.79 ฿128

-11.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.65 ฿55.5

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$1.55 ฿52.3

54.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.18 ฿39.82

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$2.01 ฿67.9

11.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 Rp 251.7K

$16.16 ฿545

-13.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 Rp 71.8K

$3.03 ฿102

32.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 Rp 205.5K

$10.84 ฿365

5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 Rp 62.7K

$2.68 ฿90.3

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.22 ฿41.16

27.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 47.9K

$1.63 ฿54.8

64.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.4K

$1.53 ฿51.5

40.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.9K

$1.34 ฿45.13

37.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$1.21 ฿40.88

80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.70 ฿23.65

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.53 ฿17.71

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

$4.69 ฿158

-34.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.21 Rp 397.7K

$17.71 ฿597

25.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.4K

$1.85 ฿62.2

43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.0K

$3.21 ฿108

-14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,275

$0.89 ฿30.03

-67.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.05 Rp 162.0K

$18.76 ฿632

-51.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,128

$1.41 ฿47.43

-63.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 Rp 8,862

$1.29 ฿43.54

-62.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 Rp 119.7K

$7.79 ฿263

-14.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 Rp 16.6K

$1.29 ฿43.61

-27.91%

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

$29.2K Rp 522.3M

$21.8K ฿733.8K

34.00%

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

$35.8K Rp 641.1M

$21.7K ฿731.2K

65.09%

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

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

$70.0 ฿2,359

14.55%

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

$4.10 Rp 73.5K

$14.19 ฿478

-71.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.13 Rp 432.0K

$17.42 ฿587

38.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.0 Rp 1.5M

$41.64 ฿1,404

101.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 Rp 104.5K

$6.89 ฿232

-15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.48 Rp 62.3K

$5.78 ฿195

-39.79%

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

$272 Rp 4.9M

$300 ฿10.1K

-9.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 Rp 107.7M

$14.5K ฿489.5K

-58.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 Rp 981.2K

$55.4 ฿1,866

-0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.83 Rp 677.2K

$26.31 ฿887

43.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.6M

$84.8 ฿2,860

5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 Rp 1.4M

$70.5 ฿2,376

10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 Rp 15.0M

$425 ฿14.3K

96.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 10.0M

$235 ฿7,924

136.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,756 Rp 49.3M

$802 ฿27.0K

243.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 Rp 31.1M

$516 ฿17.4K

237.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,254 Rp 40.4M

$1,926 ฿64.9K

17.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 Rp 33.3M

$1,451 ฿48.9K

28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Kuta, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $838 in Kuta, Bali versus $425 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 $28.00 in Kuta, Bali versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Kuta, Bali costs about 50% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,909 per month in Kuta, Bali and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Kuta, Bali and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kuta, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Kuta, Bali at $1,273. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuta, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,273 in Kuta, Bali. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuta, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.