🙂A single person spends $652 per month in Yogyakarta vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,012 per month in Yogyakarta vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,371 per month in Yogyakarta vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Yogyakarta is about 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Yogyakarta and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yogyakarta51% lower, Chiang Mai35% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.41Rp 25.2K
$1.94฿63.6
-27.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.01Rp 161.6K
$18.64฿609
-51.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.12Rp 55.9K
$7.82฿256
-60.10%
Cappuccino
$1.46Rp 26.1K
$1.95฿63.9
-25.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53Rp 9,555
$0.85฿27.80
-37.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28Rp 5,073
$0.35฿11.60
-20.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43Rp 43.6K
$2.13฿69.7
14.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30Rp 59.2K
$3.73฿122
-11.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22Rp 22.0K
$1.71฿56.0
-28.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.37Rp 24.5K
$1.63฿53.3
-15.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.82Rp 14.8K
$1.14฿37.18
-28.07%
Eggs
$1.33Rp 23.8K
$1.93฿63.2
-31.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.10Rp 127.3K
$16.21฿530
-56.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.28Rp 58.9K
$3.12฿102
5.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.13Rp 145.8K
$10.90฿356
-25.41%
Apples(1kg)
$2.37Rp 42.4K
$2.75฿90.1
-13.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46Rp 26.1K
$1.21฿39.56
20.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.36Rp 24.4K
$1.62฿53.0
-16.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.03Rp 18.5K
$1.59฿51.9
-35.22%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08Rp 19.3K
$1.40฿45.75
-22.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.74Rp 31.2K
$1.17฿38.20
48.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.46Rp 8,187
$0.66฿21.62
-30.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39Rp 6,934
$0.53฿17.24
-26.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53Rp 45.4K
$4.69฿153
-46.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.85Rp 302.0K
$18.66฿610
-9.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77Rp 31.8K
$1.80฿58.8
-1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30Rp 59.1K
$3.23฿106
2.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21Rp 3,755
$0.90฿29.28
-76.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.79Rp 175.5K
$19.21฿628
-49.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.47Rp 8,428
$1.41฿45.96
-66.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31Rp 5,574
$1.29฿42.16
-75.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.19Rp 75.0K
$7.84฿256
-46.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82Rp 14.6K
$1.27฿41.62
-35.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2KRp 344.5M
$21.3K฿695.5K
-9.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1KRp 486.6M
$22.2K฿726.1K
22.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.7Rp 1.3M
$69.1฿2,258
6.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.31Rp 77.3K
$14.08฿460
-69.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.59Rp 351.1K
$18.00฿588
8.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.17Rp 272.0K
$41.06฿1,342
-63.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.05Rp 54.7K
$6.96฿227
-56.18%
Cinema Ticket
$2.82Rp 50.5K
$5.92฿193
-52.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$72.5Rp 1.3M
$299฿9,775
-75.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,468Rp 80.1M
$15.0K฿488.8K
-70.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.45Rp 617.5K
$54.7฿1,788
-37.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.38Rp 544.6K
$26.77฿875
13.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.2Rp 1.4M
$85.0฿2,778
-9.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.6Rp 1.5M
$70.6฿2,308
16.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$194Rp 3.5M
$428฿14.0K
-54.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$171Rp 3.1M
$237฿7,759
-28.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$782Rp 14.0M
$801฿26.2K
-2.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$386Rp 6.9M
$515฿16.9K
-25.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,652Rp 29.6M
$1,975฿64.5K
-16.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$223Rp 4.0M
$1,475฿48.2K
-84.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yogyakarta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$213Rp 3.8M
$617฿20.2K
-65.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.33
5
66.60%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Yogyakarta: May 31, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Yogyakarta 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 189% 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 $9.00 in Yogyakarta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $246 – making Yogyakarta 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
Yogyakarta vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Yogyakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Yogyakarta vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $978 per month in Yogyakarta and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yogyakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Yogyakarta and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $72.5 per month in Yogyakarta and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 30% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $652 in Yogyakarta and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yogyakarta costs $652 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Yogyakarta compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Yogyakarta or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Yogyakarta. 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.
Yogyakarta vs other spots: cost of living compared