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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $656 per month in Samarinda vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Samarinda vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,425 per month in Samarinda vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Samarinda is about 31% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Samarinda and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 52% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$2.08 ฿69.2

-19.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.84 Rp 245.9K

$19.64 ฿651

-29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 60.6K

$5.65 ฿188

-39.65%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$1.81 ฿59.9

-14.36%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,539

$0.71 ฿23.66

-40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,423

$0.32 ฿10.48

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 Rp 41.3K

$2.24 ฿74.2

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 Rp 59.7K

$3.63 ฿121

-7.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.34 ฿44.32

-47.76%

Eggs

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$2.26 ฿75.1

-38.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 Rp 134.0K

$16.26 ฿539

-53.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 65.6K

$2.95 ฿98.0

25.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 Rp 181.3K

$9.94 ฿330

2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 Rp 94.5K

$2.57 ฿85.3

107.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

$1.06 ฿35.04

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

$1.61 ฿53.5

-30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

$1.52 ฿50.4

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.7K

$1.27 ฿42.14

4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$1.07 ฿35.37

72.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.72 ฿23.89

1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,405

$0.51 ฿16.87

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 Rp 37.0K

$4.19 ฿139

-50.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.31 Rp 360.8K

$17.87 ฿593

13.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.69 ฿56.2

12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 Rp 4,952

$0.93 ฿30.70

-69.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,919

$1.23 ฿40.95

-59.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,946

$0.58 ฿19.13

-43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$2.42 ฿80.4

22.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-46.81%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.8M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

20.17%

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

$31.1K Rp 552.2M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

13.72%

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

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$63.7 ฿2,112

5.81%

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

$4.22 Rp 74.9K

$12.85 ฿426

-67.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 348.2K

$20.22 ฿671

-3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.92 Rp 353.9K

$38.74 ฿1,285

-48.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 Rp 149.2K

$3.97 ฿132

111.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.0K

$6.74 ฿223

-57.42%

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

$107 Rp 1.9M

$778 ฿25.8K

-86.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,991 Rp 159.7M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-38.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.15 Rp 784.4K

$54.3 ฿1,801

-18.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 Rp 503.5K

$25.45 ฿844

11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 Rp 1.4M

$94.3 ฿3,129

-14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$73.4 ฿2,436

-15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.0M

$490 ฿16.2K

-53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$289 ฿9,596

-47.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 Rp 9.8M

$894 ฿29.6K

-38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Rp 6.2M

$517 ฿17.1K

-32.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 Rp 20.3M

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-41.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$584 Rp 10.4M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-60.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$334 Rp 5.9M

$602 ฿20.0K

-44.57%

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 Samarinda: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Samarinda 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 80% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $240 – making Samarinda 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Samarinda, 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 $984 per month in Samarinda 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 Samarinda, 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 Samarinda 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 10% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Samarinda 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. Samarinda costs $656 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 Samarinda. 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.