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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $569 per month in Magelang vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $884 per month in Magelang vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,198 per month in Magelang vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Magelang is about 33% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Magelang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Magelang 58% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$1.95 ฿62.8

-20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.44 Rp 162.2K

$18.43 ฿594

-48.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.93 Rp 50.4K

$7.50 ฿241

-60.93%

Cappuccino

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

$1.93 ฿62.3

-56.48%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,592

$0.78 ฿25.08

-51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,141

$0.32 ฿10.42

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

$2.15 ฿69.2

-31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 50.7K

$3.71 ฿120

-20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 19.7K

$1.71 ฿55.2

-32.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 20.6K

$1.56 ฿50.3

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.2K

$1.18 ฿38.06

-24.58%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

$1.98 ฿63.9

-25.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 Rp 128.2K

$16.04 ฿517

-53.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 Rp 44.1K

$3.17 ฿102

-18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 Rp 132.5K

$10.94 ฿353

-29.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.6K

$2.63 ฿84.7

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.0K

$1.17 ฿37.61

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 24.0K

$1.65 ฿53.0

-15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

$1.54 ฿49.51

-37.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.3K

$1.38 ฿44.34

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 24.7K

$1.17 ฿37.54

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$0.66 ฿21.25

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,323

$0.51 ฿16.55

-27.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 43.4K

$4.52 ฿146

-44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.60 Rp 302.5K

$18.32 ฿590

-3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Rp 28.5K

$1.80 ฿57.9

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 Rp 39.2K

$3.18 ฿102

-28.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 Rp 5,594

$0.90 ฿28.97

-63.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 169.4K

$19.00 ฿612

-48.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,685

$1.41 ฿45.50

-68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,359

$1.31 ฿42.15

-76.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 41.0K

$8.09 ฿261

-70.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

$1.28 ฿41.08

-34.38%

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

$28.5K Rp 490.5M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

34.04%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.9M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

45.83%

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

$50.5 Rp 867.6K

$69.2 ฿2,230

-27.04%

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

$4.19 Rp 72.0K

$13.97 ฿450

-70.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 Rp 337.5K

$17.95 ฿578

9.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.31 Rp 263.0K

$42.31 ฿1,363

-63.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.04 Rp 69.5K

$6.66 ฿214

-39.34%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 47.6K

$5.92 ฿191

-53.21%

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

$49.23 Rp 846.0K

$299 ฿9,640

-83.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,370 Rp 75.1M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-70.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.56 Rp 370.6K

$56.2 ฿1,810

-61.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 Rp 371.5K

$26.94 ฿868

-19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$84.9 ฿2,735

-25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

$71.8 ฿2,314

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.5M

$435 ฿14.0K

-39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.7M

$240 ฿7,727

-34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.1M

$798 ฿25.7K

-26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 Rp 5.8M

$498 ฿16.1K

-32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 Rp 21.3M

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-37.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$763 Rp 13.1M

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-50.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 Rp 3.1M

$628 ฿20.2K

-71.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

66.60%

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

Last update for Magelang: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Magelang 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 250% 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 $9 in Magelang versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $244 – making Magelang 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Magelang, 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 $854 per month in Magelang and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $49.23 per month in Magelang and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $569 in Magelang and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Magelang costs $569 versus $845 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 Magelang. 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.