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 $710 per month in Samarinda vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Samarinda vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,431 per month in Samarinda vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Samarinda is about 18% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Samarinda and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Samarinda 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.96 ฿65.9

-19.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.08 Rp 216.7K

$18.35 ฿617

-34.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 Rp 101.8K

$7.48 ฿252

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$2.02 ฿67.8

-17.33%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,862

$0.85 ฿28.52

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,821

$0.36 ฿11.97

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

$2.14 ฿71.9

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 Rp 61.8K

$3.59 ฿121

-4.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.65 ฿55.5

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

$1.57 ฿52.7

-42.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.19 ฿40.05

-35.29%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

$1.94 ฿65.1

-20.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 Rp 143.0K

$16.19 ฿545

-50.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 71.1K

$2.99 ฿101

32.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 Rp 199.6K

$10.94 ฿368

1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 Rp 99.3K

$2.71 ฿91.2

104.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

$1.17 ฿39.27

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.69 ฿56.8

-31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 29.0K

$1.60 ฿54.0

1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$1.38 ฿46.56

3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

$1.20 ฿40.47

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$0.67 ฿22.51

41.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$0.56 ฿18.74

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$4.64 ฿156

-50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 Rp 355.0K

$17.62 ฿593

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

$1.86 ฿62.6

8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.1K

$3.30 ฿111

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,782

$0.88 ฿29.70

-63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.63 Rp 172.7K

$19.34 ฿651

-50.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.36 ฿45.92

-29.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,244

$1.34 ฿45.00

-73.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 Rp 53.4K

$8.21 ฿276

-63.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$1.22 ฿41.20

-48.36%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

16.35%

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

$27.3K Rp 489.5M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

21.13%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$70.7 ฿2,378

0.35%

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

$4.40 Rp 79.0K

$14.04 ฿472

-68.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.02 Rp 412.9K

$17.49 ฿589

31.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 Rp 412.7K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-45.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 Rp 107.6K

$6.88 ฿231

-12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.6K

$5.92 ฿199

-47.64%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$309 ฿10.4K

-69.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,595 Rp 136.2M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.10 Rp 737.3K

$55.8 ฿1,876

-26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 Rp 550.0K

$26.11 ฿879

17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$83.0 ฿2,793

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

$70.5 ฿2,371

4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$432 ฿14.5K

-40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$239 ฿8,040

-34.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 Rp 10.7M

$822 ฿27.7K

-27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.9M

$512 ฿17.2K

-35.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$987 Rp 17.7M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-48.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$602 Rp 10.8M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-58.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$328 Rp 5.9M

$579 ฿19.5K

-43.35%

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 Samarinda: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Samarinda 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.

Salaries run about 77% 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 $12.00 in Samarinda versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $243 – 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 21% more than Samarinda, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Samarinda and $1,292 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.

Kindergarten costs $95.1 per month in Samarinda and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $710 in Samarinda and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samarinda costs $710 versus $861 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.