Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$659
$743
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1768
$1779
🏠 One person rent
$288
$367
🏘️ Family rent
$548
$648
🍽️ Food expenses
$216
$248
🚐 Transport expenses
$83.1
$62.1
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$529
$1229
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
52
93
😀 Quality of life
66
77
🏙️ Population
1.2M
1.98M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 11% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 7120th and 6605th ($659 vs $743) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 12th 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 1.7 months in Kuala Lumpur. Chiang Mai ranked 2nd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 4343rd and 772nd among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur infographic

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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
$1.74
$3.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$16.6
$22.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.5
$4.1
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.24
$3.51
 Cappuccino
$1.51
$2.75
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.54
$0.74
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$353
$424
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$207
$276
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$718
$872
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$419
$492
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$33.1
$36.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$50.4
$54.4
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$18.7
$25.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.38%
4.16%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1937
$2386
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1109
$1168
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.83
$0.63
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.1
$11.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.1
$8.81
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.16
$0.43
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.59
$1.68
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.31
$0.84
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.1
$1.2
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.87
$1.97
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.6
$12.1
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.38
$4.07
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.5
$9.82
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.55
$2.45
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.18
$1.35
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$2.55
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.65
$1.39
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$0.93
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.06
$0.84
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.41
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.24
$1.04
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$13.9
$14.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.75
$2.76
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.93
$3.78
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.21
$3.91
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$2.88
$2.85
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.16
$1.49
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.9
$1.6
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$35.6
$40.6
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.71
$4.27
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$18
$15.7
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.36
$5.62
👖 Brand Jeans
$50.3
$49.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$82.6
$69.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$437
$208
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$10951
$6454

Cost of living in other countries

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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
$577
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$462
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$605
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$496
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$566
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$668
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$710
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$706
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1212
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$615
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1195
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$815
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1233
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$588
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$500
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$715
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$532
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$614
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$709
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$518
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$669
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$617
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$594
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$481
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$677
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$704
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$615
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$902
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$714
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$716
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1184
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$543
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$656
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$647
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$648
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$665
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$653
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$614
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$618
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$575

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$645
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$644
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$582
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$480
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$539
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$553
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$545
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$602
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$565
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$611
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$554
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$550
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$482
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$609
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$515
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$638
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$610
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$512
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$485
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$578
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$465
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$558
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$499
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$566
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$623
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$544
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3007
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2733
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$596
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$455
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$500
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$585
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$483
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$453
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$511
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$487
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$496
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$472
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$520
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$650