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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $651 per month in Medan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Medan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,313 per month in Medan vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medan is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Medan 51% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$1.94 ฿63.5

-5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$18.64 ฿609

-42.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$7.82 ฿255

-58.82%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.95 ฿63.8

-7.69%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$0.85 ฿27.77

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.35 ฿11.58

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$2.13 ฿69.6

-25.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$3.73 ฿122

37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-28.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-23.68%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$16.21 ฿530

-39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$3.12 ฿102

24.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$10.90 ฿356

-37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.21 ฿39.52

-17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.62 ฿53.0

-9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.17 ฿38.17

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.66 ฿21.60

-30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.53 ฿17.22

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$4.69 ฿153

-47.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$18.66 ฿609

-15.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$3.23 ฿106

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.90 ฿29.26

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$19.21 ฿628

-48.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$1.41 ฿45.91

-63.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$1.29 ฿42.12

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$7.84 ฿256

-20.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-35.43%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

31.95%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

52.36%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$69.1 ฿2,256

20.75%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$14.08 ฿460

-74.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$18.00 ฿588

86.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-43.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$6.96 ฿227

4.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$5.92 ฿193

-39.53%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$299 ฿9,766

-57.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-29.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$54.7 ฿1,787

21.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$26.77 ฿874

58.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$85.0 ฿2,776

35.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$70.6 ฿2,306

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$428 ฿14.0K

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$237 ฿7,752

-58.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$801 ฿26.2K

-32.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$515 ฿16.8K

-55.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-40.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-61.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$617 ฿20.2K

-65.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

85.00%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Medan versus $428 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 187% 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 $11.00 in Medan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $246 – making Medan 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Medan, 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 $977 per month in Medan and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Medan 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 31% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $651 in Medan and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $651 versus $866 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 Medan. 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.