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Chiang Mai vs Lombok cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ญ Chiang Mai
๐ฎ๐ฉ Lombok
At a glance
- Where Lombok is clearly cheaper: Transit (66%โ), Entry ticket (58%โ), Haircut (46%โ)
- Where Chiang Mai is clearly cheaper: Beer (16%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Chiang Mai is easier to travel (2.4 vs 3.4). Biggest gap: getting around โ Chiang Mai 2 vs Lombok 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Chiang Mai | Lombok | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 80$2.42 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ24% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 50$1.52 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Lombok โ19% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | Rp 150,000$9.2 | Lombok โ24% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 75$2.27 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Lombok โ6% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 85$2.58 | Rp 50,000$3.07 | Chiang Mai โ16% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 180$5.45 | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Chiang Mai โ11% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 20$0.61 | Rp 6,000$0.37 | Lombok โ39% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 100$3.03 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ39% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 60$1.82 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Lombok โ33% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 30$0.91 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | Lombok โ66% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Rp 75,000$4.6 | Lombok โ39% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,100$33.3 | Rp 500,000$30.7 | Lombok โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 10,500$318 | Rp 5,000,000$307 | similar |
| Laundry | เธฟ 35$1.06 | Rp 15,000$0.92 | Lombok โ13% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | Rp 80,000$4.91 | Lombok โ46% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Lombok โ46% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 250$7.58 | Rp 120,000$7.36 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 800$24.2 | Rp 300,000$18.4 | Lombok โ24% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 145$4.39 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ58% |
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, Chiang Mai or Lombok?
Lombok is 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai. Daily budget $66.9 vs $55.7; a month $1,232 vs $1,218.
Which is easier to travel, Chiang Mai or Lombok?
Chiang Mai is easier: Chiang Mai 2.4/5 vs Lombok 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Chiang Mai and Lombok?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Chiang Mai is about $1,232 and Lombok about $1,218 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.