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 $1,162 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,917 per month in Sanur, Bali vs $1,855 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 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 Rp 48.2K

$1.98 ฿64.3

35.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.49 Rp 456.6K

$18.80 ฿612

35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$7.75 ฿252

-47.87%

Cappuccino

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.92 ฿62.5

16.67%

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

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.79 ฿25.79

31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.36 ฿11.62

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 Rp 41.3K

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 55.6K

$3.66 ฿119

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.65 ฿53.8

-4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.8K

$1.63 ฿53.2

36.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.19 ฿38.86

-8.40%

Eggs

$2.13 Rp 38.1K

$2.00 ฿65.1

6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 Rp 239.7K

$15.98 ฿520

-16.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 Rp 67.3K

$3.03 ฿98.5

24.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 Rp 194.3K

$10.86 ฿354

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.76 ฿90.0

20.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

$1.18 ฿38.42

18.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.64 ฿53.5

53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

$1.52 ฿49.51

32.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.38 ฿45.10

31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.4K

$1.19 ฿38.84

75.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

$0.70 ฿22.86

31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.56 ฿18.13

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 Rp 51.2K

$4.58 ฿149

-37.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.06 Rp 377.3K

$16.56 ฿539

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

$1.83 ฿59.5

39.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

$3.20 ฿104

-20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,633

$0.88 ฿28.56

-70.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.01 Rp 143.5K

$18.72 ฿610

-57.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,725

$1.36 ฿44.16

-68.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,736

$1.34 ฿43.65

-67.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 Rp 107.0K

$7.84 ฿256

-23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.23 ฿39.92

-32.52%

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

$24.7K Rp 442.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

14.24%

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

$31.1K Rp 557.8M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

38.10%

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

$76.9 Rp 1.4M

$70.5 ฿2,298

9.04%

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

$3.93 Rp 70.4K

$13.68 ฿445

-71.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 Rp 405.8K

$17.45 ฿568

29.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

$41.33 ฿1,346

72.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 Rp 87.7K

$6.96 ฿227

-29.60%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 Rp 53.2K

$5.77 ฿188

-48.53%

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

$277 Rp 5.0M

$307 ฿10.0K

-9.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,894 Rp 105.6M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-59.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 Rp 897.2K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.4K

$26.21 ฿854

31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$85.8 ฿2,793

-8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 Rp 1.2M

$72.2 ฿2,353

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 Rp 13.0M

$430 ฿14.0K

69.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 Rp 8.9M

$239 ฿7,774

107.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 Rp 45.0M

$817 ฿26.6K

207.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 Rp 27.8M

$511 ฿16.6K

203.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 Rp 36.6M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

3.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,699 Rp 30.4M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

14.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Sanur, Bali versus $430 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 $25.00 in Sanur, Bali versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $241 – 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 $1,742 per month in Sanur, Bali and $1,303 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 $277 per month in Sanur, Bali and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $869, than in Sanur, Bali at $1,162. 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 $869 versus $1,162 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.