Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanur, Bali and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanur, Bali and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,135 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,030 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,924 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sanur, Bali costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sanur, Bali and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sanur, Bali 15% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 Rp 46.9K

$1.95 ฿62.6

40.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.61 Rp 438.7K

$18.43 ฿591

38.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 Rp 67.3K

$7.50 ฿241

-47.60%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 38.6K

$1.93 ฿62.0

16.58%

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

$1.08 Rp 18.5K

$0.78 ฿24.98

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.1K

$0.32 ฿10.38

84.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 Rp 40.5K

$2.15 ฿68.9

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 52.4K

$3.71 ฿119

-17.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$1.71 ฿55.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 38.0K

$1.56 ฿50.1

42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.0K

$1.18 ฿37.91

-11.02%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 36.6K

$1.98 ฿63.6

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 Rp 224.4K

$16.04 ฿515

-18.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 Rp 67.4K

$3.17 ฿102

24.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.74 Rp 183.9K

$10.94 ฿351

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 Rp 58.5K

$2.63 ฿84.3

30.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 24.8K

$1.17 ฿37.45

23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 42.3K

$1.65 ฿52.8

49.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 36.5K

$1.54 ฿49.31

38.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 29.8K

$1.38 ฿44.16

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 34.1K

$1.17 ฿37.39

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 16.5K

$0.66 ฿21.16

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.0K

$0.51 ฿16.48

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 Rp 49.1K

$4.52 ฿145

-36.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.09 Rp 361.2K

$18.32 ฿588

15.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 44.6K

$1.80 ฿57.7

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Rp 42.9K

$3.18 ฿102

-21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,415

$0.90 ฿28.85

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.97 Rp 136.4K

$19.00 ฿610

-58.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,376

$1.41 ฿45.32

-69.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 6,938

$1.31 ฿41.98

-68.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 Rp 99.7K

$8.09 ฿260

-28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 13.8K

$1.28 ฿40.92

-36.72%

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

$24.7K Rp 422.7M

$21.3K ฿683.3K

15.90%

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

$31.1K Rp 533.4M

$21.7K ฿696.5K

43.49%

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

$77.1 Rp 1.3M

$69.2 ฿2,221

11.47%

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

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

$13.97 ฿448

-72.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.08 Rp 395.3K

$17.95 ฿576

28.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 Rp 1.2M

$42.31 ฿1,358

71.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.00 Rp 85.6K

$6.66 ฿214

-24.92%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

$5.92 ฿190

-49.83%

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

$268 Rp 4.6M

$299 ฿9,601

-10.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 Rp 104.4M

$14.8K ฿476.5K

-58.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.71 Rp 851.4K

$56.2 ฿1,803

-11.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 Rp 586.0K

$26.94 ฿864

26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$84.9 ฿2,724

-6.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

$71.8 ฿2,305

-1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 Rp 12.5M

$435 ฿14.0K

67.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 Rp 8.5M

$240 ฿7,696

108.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,561 Rp 43.9M

$798 ฿25.6K

221.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 Rp 26.0M

$498 ฿16.0K

204.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,199 Rp 37.7M

$1,995 ฿64.0K

10.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 Rp 29.9M

$1,532 ฿49.2K

13.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Sanur, Bali: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Sanur, Bali versus $435 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 $26 in Sanur, Bali versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai 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

Sanur, Bali vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sanur, Bali costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,703 per month in Sanur, Bali and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $268 per month in Sanur, Bali and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Sanur, Bali, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Sanur, Bali at $1,135. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sanur, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,135 in Sanur, Bali. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sanur, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.