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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $625 per month in Pontianak vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $983 per month in Pontianak vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,340 per month in Pontianak vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pontianak is about 32% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pontianak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pontianak 54% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$2.11 ฿69.1

-20.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.10 Rp 197.2K

$19.75 ฿648

-43.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

$5.85 ฿192

-42.05%

Cappuccino

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.76 ฿57.8

-35.23%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,748

$0.74 ฿24.37

-33.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,087

$0.33 ฿10.90

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 55.3K

$2.47 ฿81.0

25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

$3.88 ฿127

-24.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.90 ฿62.4

-38.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.67 ฿54.7

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$1.35 ฿44.24

-40.00%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

$2.14 ฿70.2

-32.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 Rp 120.1K

$15.89 ฿521

-57.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$2.83 ฿92.9

2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 138.2K

$10.53 ฿345

-26.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.38 ฿78.2

-2.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.07 ฿35.01

23.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.0K

$1.52 ฿49.79

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.1K

$1.50 ฿49.30

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

$1.28 ฿41.96

4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

$1.10 ฿36.17

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.69 ฿22.54

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,727

$0.49 ฿16.18

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

$4.27 ฿140

-32.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.57 Rp 365.6K

$16.78 ฿550

22.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 Rp 32.3K

$1.66 ฿54.4

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

$2.81 ฿92.3

5.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,618

$0.90 ฿29.44

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,778

$1.20 ฿39.24

-63.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,256

$0.54 ฿17.78

-35.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Rp 44.7K

$2.37 ฿77.9

6.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.43 ฿46.88

-45.45%

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

$23.0K Rp 407.9M

$21.1K ฿691.5K

8.90%

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

$30.4K Rp 540.6M

$27.1K ฿890.2K

12.09%

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

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

$64.7 ฿2,124

3.37%

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

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$13.19 ฿433

-56.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.24 Rp 395.3K

$19.44 ฿638

14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.85 Rp 352.9K

$39.45 ฿1,294

-49.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 Rp 146.6K

$3.77 ฿124

118.83%

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

$6.62 ฿217

-58.61%

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

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

$805 ฿26.4K

-88.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,984 Rp 124.1M

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-53.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 Rp 904.8K

$54.8 ฿1,796

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.75 Rp 475.4K

$25.43 ฿834

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

$91.9 ฿3,015

-22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$74.7 ฿2,449

-4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 Rp 4.0M

$467 ฿15.3K

-52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$282 ฿9,251

-46.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$891 ฿29.2K

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Rp 5.6M

$521 ฿17.1K

-39.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,335 Rp 23.7M

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-32.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 Rp 11.4M

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-56.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 Rp 5.9M

$592 ฿19.4K

-44.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Pontianak: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Pontianak versus $467 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 79% 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 $11.00 in Pontianak versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $237 – making Pontianak 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Pontianak, 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 $938 per month in Pontianak and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pontianak, 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 $11.00 in Pontianak 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 22% 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 Pontianak, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Pontianak 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. Pontianak costs $625 versus $920 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 Pontianak. 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.