Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Semarang: $593 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Semarang
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Semarang Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Semarang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$593

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Semarang and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Semarang and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $593 per month in Semarang vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Semarang $593
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $938 per month in Semarang vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Semarang $938
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,282 per month in Semarang vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Semarang $1,282
Chiang Mai $1,979

Semarang is about 37% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Semarang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Semarang 56% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.34 Rp 24.4K

$2.24 ฿75.7

-40.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.53 Rp 191.3K

$19.00 ฿642

-44.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.04 Rp 55.3K

$5.55 ฿188

-45.23%

Cappuccino

$1.28 Rp 23.2K

$1.67 ฿56.6

-23.35%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,808

$0.64 ฿21.56

-32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 Rp 2,847

$0.31 ฿10.32

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 Rp 29.8K

$2.36 ฿79.6

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 Rp 59.1K

$3.66 ฿124

-11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.95 ฿65.8

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 Rp 16.7K

$1.44 ฿48.51

-36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 14.4K

$1.33 ฿45.07

-40.60%

Eggs

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$2.28 ฿77.1

-48.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 70.2K

$16.45 ฿556

-76.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.4K

$2.78 ฿94.0

-16.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 137.3K

$9.31 ฿314

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.7K

$2.35 ฿79.5

-16.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.3K

$0.97 ฿32.82

31.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.8K

$1.60 ฿53.9

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

$1.50 ฿50.7

-2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.3K

$1.28 ฿43.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.3K

$1.10 ฿37.22

71.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 Rp 17.0K

$0.71 ฿23.84

30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,359

$0.49 ฿16.38

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 Rp 34.1K

$4.14 ฿140

-54.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 Rp 455.2K

$17.52 ฿592

42.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 Rp 29.8K

$1.61 ฿54.5

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Rp 35.4K

$2.78 ฿94.0

-29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,816

$0.87 ฿29.33

-75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.93 Rp 253.1K

$54.1 ฿1,827

-74.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 9,128

$1.16 ฿39.08

-56.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,331

$0.53 ฿17.82

-45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 48.8K

$2.42 ฿81.8

11.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 14.0K

$1.45 ฿48.93

-46.90%

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

$24.5K Rp 446.0M

$21.1K ฿711.2K

16.52%

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

$32.2K Rp 585.5M

$26.9K ฿909.8K

19.57%

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

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$62.2 ฿2,100

38.54%

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

$2.67 Rp 48.4K

$12.17 ฿411

-78.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 Rp 344.7K

$20.12 ฿680

-5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.30 Rp 368.9K

$37.31 ฿1,260

-45.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 Rp 81.5K

$3.77 ฿127

19.10%

Cinema Ticket

$2.25 Rp 40.9K

$6.49 ฿219

-65.33%

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

$49.33 Rp 896.6K

$736 ฿24.9K

-93.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,076 Rp 37.7M

$14.8K ฿498.6K

-85.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.61 Rp 629.1K

$53.4 ฿1,802

-35.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.31 Rp 532.7K

$24.64 ฿832

18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$91.5 ฿3,089

-38.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.07 Rp 691.9K

$71.9 ฿2,429

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 Rp 4.1M

$482 ฿16.3K

-53.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.5M

$309 ฿10.4K

-55.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 Rp 8.7M

$1,006 ฿34.0K

-52.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 Rp 6.9M

$633 ฿21.4K

-40.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,223 Rp 22.2M

$2,363 ฿79.8K

-48.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$833 Rp 15.1M

$1,589 ฿53.7K

-47.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 Rp 3.4M

$590 ฿19.9K

-68.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.82

5.57

58.35%

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

Last update for Semarang: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Semarang

$184 31%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 27.5% $50

Accommodation & Living

Semarang

$136 23%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 127% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Semarang

$108 18.2%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 12.3% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Semarang

$71 12%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 52.4% $37

Eating Out

Semarang

$52 8.8%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 48.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Semarang

$25 4.2%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 103% $25

Getting Around

Semarang

$17 2.8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 267% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Semarang versus $482 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 in Chiang Mai are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Semarang versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $234 – making Semarang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Semarang

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:01 4:01 AM

Same time as Semarang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,555,984

127,240

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Semarang Chiang Mai 3,130 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Semarang
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Semarang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Semarang and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $49 per month in Semarang and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Semarang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Semarang. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.