Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$727
$866
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1970
$2078
🏠 One person rent
$315
$415
🏘️ Family rent
$547
$706
🍽️ Food expenses
$250
$295
🚐 Transport expenses
$85
$74
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$505
$1175
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
56
93
😀 Quality of life
65
78
🏙️ Population
1.2M
1.98M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 16% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 6954th and 6384th ($727 vs $866) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 19th and 1st in Thailand and Malaysia, respectively. Check Thailand vs Malaysia comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in Chiang Mai compared to 1.4 months in Kuala Lumpur. Chiang Mai ranked 3rd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 5236th and 985th 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
$2.01
$4.41
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$19.1
$26.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.95
$4.77
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.25
$4.73
☕ Cappuccino
$1.88
$3.11
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.79
$0.88
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$395
$522
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$221
$311
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$703
$927
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$405
$550
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$40.8
$36
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$62.9
$55.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$19.1
$25.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.15%
4.46%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2210
$3056
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1552
$1519
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.92
$0.7
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$19.1
$16.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.8
$9.83
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.27
$0.53
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.74
$2.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.56
$1.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$1.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.05
$2.47
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.7
$14
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.99
$4.97
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.98
$9.52
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.92
$3.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.15
$1.65
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.72
$2.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.63
$1.5
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.41
$1.27
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.2
$1.39
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.34
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.4
$1.26
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$18.4
$17.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.77
$3.22
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.33
$4.3
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.24
$3.73
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.42
$3.59
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.29
$1.76
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.5
$2.29
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$34.8
$46.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.07
$4.79
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$18.9
$21
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.65
$5.58
👖 Brand Jeans
$61.4
$62.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.4
$94.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$643
$267
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$15195
$9002

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
$667
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$603
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$581
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$558
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$567
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$534
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$571
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$594
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1261
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$680
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1181
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$614
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1152
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$577
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$578
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$540
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$590
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$599
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$666
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$588
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$519
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$675
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$635
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$623
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$736
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$737
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$601
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$958
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$774
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$774
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1139
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$529
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$558
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$770
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$779
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$812
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$787
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$724
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$607
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$560

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$731
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$789
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$681
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$584
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$609
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$704
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$643
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$689
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$654
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$771
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$519
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$657
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$552
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$788
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$488
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$552
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$771
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$598
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$461
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$701
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$534
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$503
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$472
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$754
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$789
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$653
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3201
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2909
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$563
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$517
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$466
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$542
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$460
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$509
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$502
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$570
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$592
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$449
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$592
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$756