Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Magelang and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Magelang: $522 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Magelang
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Magelang Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

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Magelang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$522

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Magelang 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 Magelang and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $522 per month in Magelang vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Magelang $522
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $829 per month in Magelang vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Magelang $829
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Magelang vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Magelang $1,136
Chiang Mai $1,979

Magelang is about 44% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Magelang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Magelang 62% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.41 Rp 25.6K

$2.24 ฿75.6

-37.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.48 Rp 153.9K

$19.00 ฿641

-55.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.54 Rp 46.1K

$5.55 ฿187

-54.23%

Cappuccino

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$1.67 ฿56.5

-55.69%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,749

$0.64 ฿21.54

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 Rp 3,098

$0.31 ฿10.31

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 Rp 23.6K

$2.36 ฿79.5

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 48.0K

$3.66 ฿124

-27.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.7K

$1.95 ฿65.7

-47.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.5K

$1.44 ฿48.46

-21.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.33 ฿45.03

-43.61%

Eggs

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$2.28 ฿77.1

-48.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.45 Rp 117.1K

$16.45 ฿555

-60.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 41.0K

$2.78 ฿93.9

-18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 Rp 126.1K

$9.31 ฿314

-25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.8K

$2.35 ฿79.4

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 20.2K

$0.97 ฿32.79

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.6K

$1.60 ฿53.9

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.50 ฿50.6

-42.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 18.2K

$1.28 ฿43.11

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.10 ฿37.18

21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

$0.71 ฿23.82

12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,478

$0.49 ฿16.36

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 Rp 34.8K

$4.14 ฿140

-53.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 Rp 299.4K

$17.52 ฿591

-5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 Rp 27.7K

$1.61 ฿54.5

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.4K

$2.78 ฿93.9

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,325

$0.87 ฿29.30

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.28 Rp 204.7K

$54.1 ฿1,825

-79.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,755

$1.16 ฿39.04

-62.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 Rp 5,787

$0.53 ฿17.80

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 Rp 39.5K

$2.42 ฿81.7

-9.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.45 ฿48.88

-49.66%

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

$25.4K Rp 460.5M

$21.1K ฿710.5K

20.51%

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

$28.0K Rp 507.7M

$26.9K ฿909.0K

3.85%

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

$46.08 Rp 836.0K

$62.2 ฿2,098

-25.88%

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

$3.96 Rp 71.9K

$12.17 ฿411

-67.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.56 Rp 354.9K

$20.12 ฿679

-2.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.49 Rp 244.7K

$37.31 ฿1,259

-63.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.64 Rp 66.0K

$3.77 ฿127

-3.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 Rp 46.1K

$6.49 ฿219

-60.86%

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

$43.82 Rp 795.1K

$736 ฿24.8K

-94.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,925 Rp 71.2M

$14.8K ฿498.2K

-73.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 Rp 345.0K

$53.4 ฿1,801

-64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.05 Rp 345.6K

$24.64 ฿831

-22.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.2 Rp 1.0M

$91.5 ฿3,087

-37.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 Rp 937.3K

$71.9 ฿2,427

-28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.1M

$482 ฿16.3K

-53.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 Rp 2.7M

$309 ฿10.4K

-52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 Rp 10.2M

$1,006 ฿33.9K

-44.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 Rp 6.6M

$633 ฿21.4K

-43.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 Rp 21.0M

$2,363 ฿79.7K

-50.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 Rp 14.5M

$1,589 ฿53.6K

-49.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.1M

$590 ฿19.9K

-71.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Magelang: 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

Magelang

$165 31.6%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 42.1% $69

Accommodation & Living

Magelang

$146 28.1%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 111% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Magelang

$70 13.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 35.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Magelang

$66 12.7%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 64.3% $43

Eating Out

Magelang

$41 8%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 87.1% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Magelang

$19 3.6%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 171% $32

Getting Around

Magelang

$14 2.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 324% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Magelang 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.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8 in Magelang versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $234 – making Magelang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Magelang

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

22:20 10:20 PM

Same time as Magelang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

118,227

127,240

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,281 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.71 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Magelang Chiang Mai 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Magelang
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 79% more than Magelang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $782 per month in Magelang and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $44 per month in Magelang and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $522 in Magelang and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Magelang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.