Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $708 per month in Surabaya vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Surabaya vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,557 per month in Surabaya vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Surabaya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Surabaya 47% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$1.94 ฿63.5

-21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

$18.64 ฿609

-34.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

$7.82 ฿255

-59.97%

Cappuccino

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

$1.95 ฿63.8

-6.67%

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

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$0.85 ฿27.77

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,648

$0.35 ฿11.58

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

$2.13 ฿69.6

13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

$3.73 ฿122

7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-18.42%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

$16.21 ฿530

-44.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

$3.12 ฿102

5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

$10.90 ฿356

-22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$1.21 ฿39.52

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

$1.62 ฿53.0

35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$1.17 ฿38.17

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$0.66 ฿21.60

78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,603

$0.53 ฿17.22

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

$4.69 ฿153

-45.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

$18.66 ฿609

32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

$3.23 ฿106

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,572

$0.90 ฿29.26

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

$19.21 ฿628

-51.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,997

$1.41 ฿45.91

-68.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,216

$1.29 ฿42.12

-77.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

$7.84 ฿256

-64.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-33.86%

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

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-3.01%

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

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

61.19%

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

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

$69.1 ฿2,256

22.86%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$14.08 ฿460

-70.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

$18.00 ฿588

9.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-47.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

$6.96 ฿227

-34.34%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

$5.92 ฿193

-51.86%

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

$188 Rp 3.4M

$299 ฿9,766

-37.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-36.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

$26.77 ฿874

44.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 ฿2,306

18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.4M

$428 ฿14.0K

-43.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$237 ฿7,752

-42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 Rp 13.7M

$801 ฿26.2K

-4.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 Rp 7.1M

$515 ฿16.8K

-23.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

11.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-27.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 Rp 5.0M

$617 ฿20.2K

-55.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

66.60%

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

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Surabaya versus $428 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 124% 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 Surabaya versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $246 – making Surabaya 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Surabaya, 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 $1,062 per month in Surabaya and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $188 per month in Surabaya 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 9% 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 $708 in Surabaya and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surabaya costs $708 versus $866 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 Surabaya. 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.