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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $612 per month in Palangkaraya vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,303 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Palangkaraya is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.37 Rp 24.1K

$2.10 ฿69.3

-34.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 Rp 247.5K

$19.84 ฿656

-29.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

$5.79 ฿191

-35.23%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

$1.83 ฿60.4

-17.49%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,098

$0.78 ฿25.61

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,742

$0.31 ฿10.37

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$2.34 ฿77.2

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 Rp 59.3K

$3.70 ฿122

-8.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.03 ฿67.1

-42.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$1.60 ฿52.7

-33.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$1.42 ฿46.75

-40.85%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

$2.18 ฿71.9

-33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 Rp 127.5K

$15.91 ฿526

-54.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.07 ฿102

-29.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 Rp 113.9K

$9.87 ฿326

-34.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$2.63 ฿86.8

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.4K

$1.10 ฿36.19

51.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.63 ฿53.8

6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

$1.53 ฿50.6

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.3K

$1.24 ฿41.13

-2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.4K

$1.13 ฿37.37

77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.74 ฿24.38

4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,492

$0.50 ฿16.48

-14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 Rp 47.2K

$4.28 ฿141

-37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 362.7K

$17.97 ฿594

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.6K

$1.70 ฿56.1

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 Rp 51.8K

$2.90 ฿95.7

1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,145

$0.94 ฿31.13

-69.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,241

$1.23 ฿40.76

-57.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,232

$0.53 ฿17.66

-33.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 50.2K

$2.40 ฿79.3

18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

$1.44 ฿47.55

-51.39%

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

$23.3K Rp 410.2M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

9.95%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.9M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

13.97%

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

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

$64.9 ฿2,145

5.74%

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

$4.42 Rp 77.9K

$13.35 ฿441

-66.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 Rp 336.0K

$20.83 ฿688

-8.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.57 Rp 98.1K

$40.42 ฿1,336

-86.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.30 Rp 146.1K

$3.95 ฿131

110.13%

Cinema Ticket

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

$6.71 ฿222

-57.38%

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

$93.6 Rp 1.6M

$787 ฿26.0K

-88.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,946 Rp 139.9M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-47.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.36 Rp 763.4K

$56.2 ฿1,858

-22.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.48 Rp 519.0K

$24.95 ฿824

18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 Rp 1.3M

$92.7 ฿3,063

-22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

$75.1 ฿2,482

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$484 ฿16.0K

-54.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$287 ฿9,491

-46.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 Rp 10.0M

$910 ฿30.1K

-37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 Rp 6.4M

$531 ฿17.5K

-31.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,177 Rp 20.7M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$658 Rp 11.6M

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-54.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

5.57

69.84%

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

Last update for Palangkaraya: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Palangkaraya versus $484 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 $14.00 in Palangkaraya versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $242 – making Palangkaraya 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Palangkaraya, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $918 per month in Palangkaraya and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Palangkaraya and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Palangkaraya 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. Palangkaraya costs $612 versus $950 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 Palangkaraya. 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.