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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,597 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,750 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,904 per month in Seminyak, Bali vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Seminyak, Bali costs about 69% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seminyak, Bali sits 16% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 Rp 70.9K

$2.08 ฿68.5

93.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 Rp 786.6K

$19.64 ฿646

127.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 Rp 112.8K

$5.65 ฿186

13.27%

Cappuccino

$3.11 Rp 54.9K

$1.81 ฿59.3

71.82%

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

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$0.71 ฿23.44

174.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 Rp 15.1K

$0.32 ฿10.38

168.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 Rp 57.0K

$2.24 ฿73.5

44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 Rp 88.6K

$3.63 ฿119

38.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

$1.96 ฿64.4

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.50 ฿49.38

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 20.8K

$1.34 ฿43.92

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

$2.26 ฿74.4

1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.75 Rp 330.7K

$16.26 ฿534

15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 Rp 74.1K

$2.95 ฿97.1

42.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 Rp 223.0K

$9.94 ฿327

27.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$2.57 ฿84.5

50.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$1.06 ฿34.72

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 43.6K

$1.61 ฿53.0

53.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$1.52 ฿49.96

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$1.27 ฿41.76

52.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 Rp 43.4K

$1.07 ฿35.05

129.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$0.72 ฿23.67

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$0.51 ฿16.72

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.0K

$4.19 ฿138

-41.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.45 Rp 431.1K

$17.87 ฿587

36.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 Rp 44.7K

$1.69 ฿55.7

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 50.7K

$2.84 ฿93.2

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,073

$0.93 ฿30.42

-68.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.74 Rp 171.8K

$53.9 ฿1,770

-81.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 9,939

$1.23 ฿40.58

-54.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 8,922

$0.58 ฿18.96

-12.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 Rp 45.2K

$2.42 ฿79.7

5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Rp 16.7K

$1.41 ฿46.42

-32.62%

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

$27.9K Rp 492.7M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

30.31%

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

$36.8K Rp 648.9M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

34.62%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$63.7 ฿2,093

33.34%

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

$6.71 Rp 118.2K

$12.85 ฿423

-47.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.86 Rp 350.1K

$20.22 ฿665

-1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

$38.74 ฿1,274

64.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.65 Rp 364.1K

$3.97 ฿130

420.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 Rp 85.3K

$6.74 ฿221

-28.19%

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

$528 Rp 9.3M

$778 ฿25.6K

-32.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,331 Rp 111.6M

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-56.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.69 Rp 840.9K

$54.3 ฿1,785

-12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 669.8K

$25.45 ฿836

49.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$94.3 ฿3,101

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 Rp 1.5M

$73.4 ฿2,414

16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 Rp 24.9M

$490 ฿16.1K

188.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 Rp 15.3M

$289 ฿9,510

199.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,508 Rp 79.5M

$894 ฿29.4K

404.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 Rp 38.5M

$517 ฿17.0K

321.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,507 Rp 61.8M

$1,955 ฿64.3K

79.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 Rp 50.5M

$1,477 ฿48.5K

93.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Seminyak, Bali: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,410 in Seminyak, Bali 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Seminyak, Bali versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $240 – 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

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

Seminyak, Bali costs about 69% 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 $2,395 per month in Seminyak, Bali 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $528 per month in Seminyak, Bali and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Seminyak, 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 $947, than in Seminyak, Bali at $1,597. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seminyak, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,597 in Seminyak, 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, Seminyak, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.