Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Medan: $613 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Medan
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Medan Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Medan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$613

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $613 per month in Medan vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medan $613
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $940 per month in Medan vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medan $940
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,266 per month in Medan vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medan $1,266
Chiang Mai $1,914

Medan is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Medan 55% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

$2.26 ฿75.4

-24.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.30 Rp 149.4K

$19.18 ฿641

-56.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$5.59 ฿187

-47.23%

Cappuccino

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.72 ฿57.6

-11.05%

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

$0.35 Rp 6,215

$0.64 ฿21.54

-45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,534

$0.33 ฿11.18

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$2.36 ฿78.7

-29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$3.90 ฿130

-7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$2.05 ฿68.6

-45.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.40 ฿46.70

-15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$1.28 ฿42.89

-36.72%

Eggs

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$2.25 ฿75.3

-41.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 Rp 146.2K

$16.94 ฿566

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$2.74 ฿91.6

31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 114.5K

$9.36 ฿313

-32.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

$1.01 ฿33.92

3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.61 ฿53.9

-11.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$1.52 ฿50.7

-38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.28 ฿42.90

-34.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.11 ฿37.22

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 Rp 6,905

$0.72 ฿24.09

-47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,872

$0.52 ฿17.54

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$4.33 ฿145

-33.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 Rp 282.9K

$17.73 ฿593

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$1.63 ฿54.4

12.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$2.85 ฿95.3

5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.85 ฿28.31

-68.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 Rp 106.7K

$53.9 ฿1,801

-89.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,186

$1.17 ฿39.18

-56.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 Rp 3,465

$0.57 ฿19.00

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.45 ฿48.32

-44.83%

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

$24.7K Rp 444.1M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

20.49%

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

$32.2K Rp 579.9M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

21.50%

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

$84.8 Rp 1.5M

$62.3 ฿2,083

36.11%

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

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

$12.27 ฿410

-74.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.57 Rp 424.3K

$19.97 ฿668

18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.95 Rp 305.0K

$37.91 ฿1,267

-55.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 Rp 151.5K

$3.76 ฿126

123.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.3K

$6.71 ฿224

-50.97%

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

$112 Rp 2.0M

$797 ฿26.6K

-85.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,692 Rp 30.5M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-88.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 975.9K

$53.3 ฿1,780

1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.53 Rp 693.6K

$25.05 ฿837

53.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Rp 1.9M

$91.6 ฿3,062

17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Rp 2.0M

$73.5 ฿2,455

51.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 Rp 4.2M

$464 ฿15.5K

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.8 Rp 1.6M

$305 ฿10.2K

-70.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 Rp 8.9M

$915 ฿30.6K

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 Rp 3.8M

$552 ฿18.5K

-61.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 Rp 20.8M

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-39.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$560 Rp 10.1M

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-61.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.9M

$595 ฿19.9K

-63.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

5.57

66.07%

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

Last update for Medan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Medan

$181 29.5%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 31.6% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Medan

$140 22.9%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 21.9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medan

$112 18.2%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 15.2% $17

Accommodation & Living

Medan

$90 14.6%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 240% $215

Eating Out

Medan

$59 9.6%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 34.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Medan

$24 3.8%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 118% $28

Getting Around

Medan

$8.5 1.4%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 624% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Medan versus $464 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 177% 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 $8.00 in Medan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $238 – making Medan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Medan

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

Same time as Medan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,097,610

127,240

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medan Chiang Mai 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Medan
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Medan, 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 $920 per month in Medan and $1,408 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 $112 per month in Medan and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medan, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Medan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $613 versus $938 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.