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Bali vs Chiang Mai cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Bali
๐น๐ญ Chiang Mai
At a glance
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (48%โ), Hotel night (32%โ), Cocktail & wine (26%โ)
- Where Bali is clearly cheaper: Transit (73%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (49%โ), Scooter rental (39%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Chiang Mai is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bali 4 vs Chiang Mai 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bali | Chiang Mai | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 35,000$2.15 | เธฟ 80$2.42 | Bali โ11% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 20,000$1.23 | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Bali โ19% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 175,000$10.7 | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Bali โ11% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 40,000$2.45 | เธฟ 75$2.27 | Chiang Mai โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 40,000$2.45 | เธฟ 85$2.58 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 120,000$7.36 | เธฟ 180$5.45 | Chiang Mai โ26% |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | เธฟ 10$0.3 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 10,000$0.61 | เธฟ 20$0.61 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 35,000$2.15 | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Bali โ29% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Bali โ49% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 4,000$0.25 | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Bali โ73% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 75,000$4.6 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Bali โ39% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 800,000$49.1 | เธฟ 1,100$33.3 | Chiang Mai โ32% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 10,000,000$613 | เธฟ 10,500$318 | Chiang Mai โ48% |
| Laundry | Rp 15,000$0.92 | เธฟ 35$1.06 | Bali โ13% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 150,000$9.2 | เธฟ 299$9.06 | similar |
| Haircutcut | Rp 60,000$3.68 | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Bali โ19% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 120,000$7.36 | เธฟ 250$7.58 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 500,000$30.7 | เธฟ 800$24.2 | Chiang Mai โ21% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 75,000$4.6 | เธฟ 145$4.39 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bali or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is 28% cheaper than Bali. Daily budget $78.6 vs $66.9; a month $2,107 vs $1,232.
Which is easier to travel, Bali or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is easier: Chiang Mai 2.4/5 vs Bali 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bali and Chiang Mai?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bali is about $2,107 and Chiang Mai about $1,232 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.