🙂A single person spends $629 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $948 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,267 per month in Metro, Lampung vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Metro, Lampung is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Metro, Lampung and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Metro, Lampung53% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.15Rp 56.6K
$1.96฿65.9
60.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.13Rp 325.3K
$18.35฿617
-1.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.78Rp 49.9K
$7.48฿252
-62.83%
Cappuccino
$2.15Rp 38.6K
$2.02฿67.8
6.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51Rp 9,149
$0.85฿28.52
-40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26Rp 4,625
$0.36฿11.97
-27.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.56Rp 28.0K
$2.14฿71.9
-27.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36Rp 60.3K
$3.59฿121
-6.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09Rp 19.6K
$1.65฿55.5
-33.94%
White Bread(500g)
$0.95Rp 17.1K
$1.57฿52.7
-39.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.96Rp 17.2K
$1.19฿40.05
-19.33%
Eggs
$0.87Rp 15.5K
$1.94฿65.1
-55.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.37Rp 114.3K
$16.19฿545
-60.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.51Rp 45.1K
$2.99฿101
-16.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.82Rp 140.3K
$10.94฿368
-28.52%
Apples(1kg)
$1.69Rp 30.3K
$2.71฿91.2
-37.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08Rp 19.4K
$1.17฿39.27
-7.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.21Rp 21.6K
$1.69฿56.8
-28.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.01Rp 18.1K
$1.60฿54.0
-36.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.33Rp 23.9K
$1.38฿46.56
-3.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.37Rp 24.6K
$1.20฿40.47
14.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60Rp 10.7K
$0.67฿22.51
-10.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rp 7,599
$0.56฿18.74
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.10Rp 37.7K
$4.64฿156
-54.74%
Wine(Bottle)
$20.84Rp 373.9K
$17.62฿593
18.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86Rp 33.4K
$1.86฿62.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24Rp 58.2K
$3.30฿111
-1.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32Rp 5,754
$0.88฿29.70
-63.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.93Rp 178.1K
$19.34฿651
-48.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.53Rp 9,465
$1.36฿45.92
-61.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35Rp 6,241
$1.34฿45.00
-73.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09Rp 55.4K
$8.21฿276
-62.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.78Rp 13.9K
$1.22฿41.20
-36.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1KRp 558.5M
$21.4K฿718.5K
45.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8KRp 589.3M
$22.5K฿758.1K
45.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$89.7Rp 1.6M
$70.7฿2,378
26.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.66Rp 119.4K
$14.04฿472
-52.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.29Rp 489.6K
$17.49฿589
56.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.68Rp 406.9K
$42.15฿1,418
-46.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.25Rp 112.0K
$6.88฿231
-9.16%
Cinema Ticket
$3.16Rp 56.7K
$5.92฿199
-46.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$92.3Rp 1.7M
$309฿10.4K
-70.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,732Rp 174.6M
$14.9K฿500.7K
-34.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.87Rp 500.0K
$55.8฿1,876
-50.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.17Rp 254.3K
$26.11฿879
-45.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$21.63Rp 388.1K
$83.0฿2,793
-73.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.62Rp 746.7K
$70.5฿2,371
-40.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$259Rp 4.7M
$432฿14.5K
-39.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158Rp 2.8M
$239฿8,040
-33.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$582Rp 10.4M
$822฿27.7K
-29.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$327Rp 5.9M
$512฿17.2K
-36.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,011Rp 18.1M
$1,915฿64.4K
-47.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$674Rp 12.1M
$1,467฿49.4K
-54.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Metro, Lampung
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$579฿19.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.59
5
91.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Metro, Lampung: July 12, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Metro, Lampung versus $432 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Metro, Lampung versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $243 – making Metro, Lampung 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
Metro, Lampung vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Metro, Lampung or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Metro, Lampung, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Metro, Lampung and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Metro, Lampung and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Metro, Lampung or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Metro, Lampung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Metro, Lampung and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $92.3 per month in Metro, Lampung and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Metro, Lampung or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 36% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Metro, Lampung or in Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $629 in Metro, Lampung and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Metro, Lampung or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Metro, Lampung costs $629 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Metro, Lampung compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Metro, Lampung or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Metro, Lampung. 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.
Metro, Lampung vs other spots: cost of living compared