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 $607 per month in Medan vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $933 per month in Medan vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,260 per month in Medan vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medan is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Medan 56% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$2.08 ฿69.2

-17.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$19.64 ฿651

-55.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$5.65 ฿188

-47.61%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$1.81 ฿59.9

-14.36%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$0.71 ฿23.66

-52.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.32 ฿10.48

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.24 ฿74.2

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$3.63 ฿121

-1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-38.06%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$16.26 ฿539

-51.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$2.95 ฿98.0

19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$9.94 ฿330

-35.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$2.57 ฿85.3

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.06 ฿35.04

-0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$1.61 ฿53.5

-8.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$1.52 ฿50.4

-36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.27 ฿42.14

-31.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.07 ฿35.37

62.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$0.72 ฿23.89

-43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.51 ฿16.87

-13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$4.19 ฿139

-27.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$17.87 ฿593

-8.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$1.69 ฿56.2

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.84 ฿94.1

7.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.93 ฿30.70

-70.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$53.9 ฿1,787

-88.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$1.23 ฿40.95

-56.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.58 ฿19.13

-65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-45.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

16.32%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

15.54%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$63.7 ฿2,112

35.79%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$12.85 ฿426

-74.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$20.22 ฿671

15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$38.74 ฿1,285

-55.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$3.97 ฿132

118.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$6.74 ฿223

-49.11%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$778 ฿25.8K

-85.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-88.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$54.3 ฿1,801

3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$25.45 ฿844

53.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$94.3 ฿3,129

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$73.4 ฿2,436

56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$490 ฿16.2K

-63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$289 ฿9,596

-69.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$894 ฿29.6K

-44.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$517 ฿17.1K

-59.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-41.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-61.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$602 ฿20.0K

-64.44%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Medan versus $490 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 181% 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 $9.00 in Medan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $240 – 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 56% 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 $911 per month in Medan and $1,421 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 $114 per month in Medan and $778 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 $607, than in Chiang Mai at $947. 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 $607 versus $947 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.