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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Pekanbaru vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $972 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,273 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pekanbaru is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pekanbaru and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pekanbaru 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$1.94 ฿63.5

-18.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$18.64 ฿609

-50.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$7.82 ฿255

-68.93%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.95 ฿63.8

-30.77%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$0.85 ฿27.77

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.35 ฿11.58

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$2.13 ฿69.6

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$3.73 ฿122

-11.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-14.04%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$16.21 ฿530

5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$3.12 ฿102

-16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$10.90 ฿356

-6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$2.75 ฿90.0

4.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.21 ฿39.52

38.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$1.62 ฿53.0

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$1.17 ฿38.17

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$0.66 ฿21.60

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.53 ฿17.22

-15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$4.69 ฿153

-52.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$18.66 ฿609

12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$1.80 ฿58.8

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$3.23 ฿106

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.90 ฿29.26

-67.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$19.21 ฿628

-52.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$1.41 ฿45.91

-37.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$1.29 ฿42.12

-65.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$7.84 ฿256

-72.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-39.37%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

6.61%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

15.90%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$69.1 ฿2,256

0.35%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$14.08 ฿460

-52.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$18.00 ฿588

57.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-43.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$6.96 ฿227

76.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$5.92 ฿193

-44.43%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$299 ฿9,766

-41.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-79.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-37.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$26.77 ฿874

35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$85.0 ฿2,776

-23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$70.6 ฿2,306

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$237 ฿7,752

-49.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$801 ฿26.2K

13.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$515 ฿16.8K

-70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-48.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-51.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$617 ฿20.2K

-69.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Pekanbaru 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 225% 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 Pekanbaru versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Pekanbaru vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 29% more than Pekanbaru, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,007 per month in Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Pekanbaru and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $671 in Pekanbaru and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $671 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 Pekanbaru. 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.