Chiang Mai vs Surabaya Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Surabaya (Indonesia) · Overall index 24.9
Summary
- Overall, Surabaya is 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai.
- Dining out in Surabaya is 9% cheaper than in Chiang Mai.
- Telecom in Surabaya is 8% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Surabaya | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +1% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $426 | -11% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $277 | -15% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $954 | +19% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $597 | +10% |
| Groceries | -8% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.41 | -23% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.32 | -8% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $1.98 | +18% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $1.53 | -14% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $5.47 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $3.96 | -18% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $6.49 | -3% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $1.88 | -12% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.78 | -1% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $1.63 | -10% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $1.77 | -20% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.03 | -4% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $0.88 | -6% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $0.88 | -5% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $0.84 | -3% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $4.78 | -16% |
| Transport | -6% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $0.71 | 0% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $31.9 | -16% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.15 | +4% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.49 | -13% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.27 | -7% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $8,279 | -3% |
| Dining out | -9% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $5.85 | -16% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $35.5 | -11% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $3.7 | -4% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $1.51 | -7% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.75 | -17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $2.26 | -6% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2.3 | -13% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.65 | +2% |
| Telecom | +8% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $24.5 | -2% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $30.6 | +15% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.15 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $7.22 | +18% |
| Utilities & household | -7% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $64.4 | -5% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.07 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $1.76 | +11% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.51 | -9% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $7.81 | -3% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $28.8 | -11% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $5.8 | -9% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $9.94 | -6% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $9.31 | -4% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $655 | -19% |
3,412 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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