Bali or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than Bali: a mid-range day costs about €61 against €95, and a day on a budget €22 against €34. Our city guides put summer afternoons at about 30 °C in Bali and 35 °C in Chiang Mai, and winter ones at 27 °C and 28 °C.
Side by side
| Bali | Chiang Mai | |
|---|---|---|
| A day on a budget | Bali €34 | Chiang Mai €22 |
| A mid-range day | Bali €95 | Chiang Mai €61 |
| A comfortable day | Bali €217 | Chiang Mai €133 |
| Cheapest hotel within 1 km of the centre | Bali Not in our data | Chiang Mai €16 a night |
| Summer / winter | Bali 30 °C / 27 °C | Chiang Mai 35 °C / 28 °C |
| Language | Bali Indonesian, Balinese | Chiang Mai Thai |
Bold: the lower price. Costs are per person per day for one traveller, from our cost index (12 May 2026). Hotel rates from Traveloka, checked 4 February 2026. Summer and winter temperatures from our city guides.
Choose Bali if
- you'd rather avoid the heat: about 30 °C on summer afternoons, against 35 °C in Chiang Mai.
- you want to experience a living Hindu culture unlike anywhere else in Indonesia.
- you want to immerse yourself in the wellness capital of Ubud, with its countless yoga shalas, meditation retreats, holistic healing centers, and organic cafes set amidst jungle greenery.
Choose Chiang Mai if
- you want to spend less: a mid-range day costs about €61, against €95 in Bali.
- you want to explore over 300 Buddhist temples, from the iconic, pilgrimage-worthy Wat Phra That Doi Suthep on the mountain to the intimate, monk-chat sessions at Wat Suan Dok.
- you want to dive into Northern Thai cuisine.
More comparisons
City guides: Bali and Chiang Mai.