Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$750
$992
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2026
$2346
🏠 One person rent
$354
$483
🏘️ Family rent
$613
$775
🍽️ Food expenses
$237
$319
🚐 Transport expenses
$78.6
$102
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$627
$1014
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
56
93
😀 Quality of life
66
82
🏙️ Population
1.2M
9M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 24% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 7014th and 5636th ($750 vs $992) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 18th and 1st in Thailand and Malaysia, respectively. Check Thailand vs Malaysia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.8 months in Chiang Mai compared to 1 months in Kuala Lumpur. Chiang Mai ranked 2nd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 4952nd and 555th among best cities to live in the world.

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Prices in Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur

Prices for goods and services in Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$1.99
$4.55
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$19.7
$28.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.87
$5.14
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.42
$4.86
☕ Cappuccino
$1.8
$3.41
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.72
$0.85
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$452
$654
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$258
$359
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$802
$1155
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$467
$572
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$38.7
$38.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$59.9
$60.5
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$18.7
$25.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.6%
4.25%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1970
$4081
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1475
$1476
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.91
$0.74
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$24.9
$14.9
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.65
$10.4
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.33
$0.68
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.85
$2.34
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.67
$1.23
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$1.74
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.1
$2.73
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$15.6
$14.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.9
$5.86
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.6
$9.85
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.39
$3.51
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.03
$1.94
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.6
$2.52
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.5
$1.57
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.26
$1.37
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.06
$1.5
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.33
$1.24
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$16.9
$19.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.69
$3.29
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.38
$4.43
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.23
$3.93
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.41
$3.79
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.29
$1.84
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.48
$2.39
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$39.8
$49.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.65
$5.27
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$19.1
$25.2
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.23
$7.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$58.4
$66.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$93.6
$91.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$796
$300
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$15185
$11913

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chiang Mai

Distance City Cost of living
86 km or 53 mi Pai
$675
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$581
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$601
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$554
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$575
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$549
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$610
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$627
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1261
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$707
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1033
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$656
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$968
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$591
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$564
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$555
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$590
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$616
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$721
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$586
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$534
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$671
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$616
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$603
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$762
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$761
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$617
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$996
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$789
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$794
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$968
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$553
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$583
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$784
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$799
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$839
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$809
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$787
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$617
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$583

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$783
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$798
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$741
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$610
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$654
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$743
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$617
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$707
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$678
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$759
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$488
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$677
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$576
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$737
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$470
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$555
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$717
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$621
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$449
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$720
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$550
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$466
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$459
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$762
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$843
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$637
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3105
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2823
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$530
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$531
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$453
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$501
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$449
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$545
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$477
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$592
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$616
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$439
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$588
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$747