Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Chiang Mai vs Yogyakarta

Chiang Mai vs Yogyakarta

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Yogyakarta 25% cheaper Chiang Mai +206 Mbps High / Moderate

Chiang Mai

Bharath Mohan/Unsplash

Yogyakarta

Dhio Gandhi/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,106

Chiang Mai

$825

Yogyakarta

Internet

238

Mbps

Safety

High

Chiang Mai

Moderate

Yogyakarta

Air Quality

5/5

Chiang Mai

5/5

Yogyakarta

Healthcare

High

Chiang Mai

Moderate

Yogyakarta

Population

398.2k

Chiang Mai

388.6k

Yogyakarta

Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Yogyakarta (Indonesia) are both in Asia, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Yogyakarta is the clear budget winner at $825/mo — 25% cheaper than Chiang Mai's $1106/mo, a saving of $3372 per year.

For families, Chiang Mai costs $1606.705593573341/mo compared to Yogyakarta's $1172.573940454941/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Chiang Mai leads on internet connectivity at 238 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Yogyakarta's 32 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Chiang Mai has a stronger safety profile than Yogyakarta, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Chiang Mai offers better healthcare infrastructure than Yogyakarta — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is January (around 30 degrees, 0mm rain, score 488), while Yogyakarta peaks in July (35 degrees, 0mm rain, score 445). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

Chiang MaiYogyakarta

Nomad$1,106/mo$825/mo

Expat$724/mo$532/mo

Local$459/mo$335/mo

Family$1,607/mo$1,173/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

Chiang MaiYogyakarta

City Speed

238 Mbps

32 Mbps

Country Speed238 Mbps32 Mbps

Environment & Health

Chiang MaiYogyakarta

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighModerate

ClimateHighModerate

Humidity2679

Quality of Life

Chiang MaiYogyakarta

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareHighModerate

Monthly Weather Comparison

Chiang Mai

Yogyakarta

Jan

30°

0mm488

36°

8mm265

Feb

33°

0mm488

38°

9mm352

Mar

37°

0mm438

38°

7mm265

Apr

42°

0mm438

38°

10mm281

May

41°

5mm387

37°

0mm421

Jun

38°

8mm309

37°

1mm416

Jul

37°

15mm262

35°

0mm445

Aug

37°

13mm247

35°

0mm432

Sep

38°

5mm401

36°

1mm435

Oct

36°

1mm460

37°

2mm343

Nov

33°

0mm488

38°

11mm281

Dec

31°

0mm488

36°

13mm235

Who Should Choose Chiang Mai?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1106
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 238 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1606.705593573341/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 398.2k residents
Peak season in January — 30 degrees, score 488

Who Should Choose Yogyakarta?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $825
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1172.573940454941/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 388.6k residents
Peak season in July — 35 degrees, score 445

Overall Verdict

Overall, Chiang Mai edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1106/mo it runs 25% cheaper than Yogyakarta's $825/mo, with 238 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Chiang Mai Yogyakarta

ItemChiang MaiYogyakartaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant—$1.3

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)—$7.78

—

McMeal or equivalent combo—$2.92

—

Cappuccino (regular)—$1.62

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)—$2.27

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$3.24

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)—$0.64

—

Water (0.33L)—$0.26

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)—$1.22

—

White bread (500g)—$0.98

—

White rice (1kg)—$0.81

—

Eggs (12)—$1.34

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)—$2.4

—

Beef round (1kg)—$7.62

—

Local cheese (1kg)—$7.7

—

Apples (1kg)—$1.73

—

Bananas (1kg)—$1.18

—

Oranges (1kg)—$1.6

—

Tomatoes (1kg)—$0.87

—

Potatoes (1kg)—$1.04

—

Onions (1kg)—$1.92

—

Lettuce (1 head)—$0.74

—

Water (1.5L bottle)—$0.32

—

Wine, mid-range bottle—$9.72

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)—$2.87

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)—$4.86

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)—$2.2

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket—$0.23

—

Monthly transport pass—$9.86

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)—$0.65

—

Taxi per 1km—$0.65

—

Taxi 1hr waiting—$3.08

—

Gasoline (1L)—$0.8

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)—$22,479.25

—

Toyota Corolla (new)—$28,257.87

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo—$45.37

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo—$24.36

—

Mobile prepaid per minute—$0.02

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly—$36.46

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)—$4.86

—

Cinema, 1 ticket—$2.92

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo—$70.22

—

International primary school/yr—$4,453.72

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)—$34.84

—

Summer dress (chain store)—$32.39

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)—$85.89

—

Men's leather business shoes—$82.1

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre—$226.87

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$151.24

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre—$885.86

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre—$379.84

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre—$1,296.38

—

Price per m², outside centre—$345.7

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary—$156.11

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)—$9.83

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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