Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$691
$810
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1891
$1984
🏠 One person rent
$291
$393
🏘️ Family rent
$597
$711
🍽️ Food expenses
$237
$278
🚐 Transport expenses
$89
$64.8
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$680
$1392
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
56
93
😀 Quality of life
64
77
🏙️ Population
1.2M
1.98M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 15% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 6939th and 6403rd ($691 vs $810) 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 1 months in Chiang Mai compared to 1.7 months in Kuala Lumpur. Chiang Mai ranked 3rd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 4535th and 811th 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
$1.78
$4.17
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$17.7
$25.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.11
$4.54
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.15
$4.64
☕ Cappuccino
$1.84
$2.93
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.7
$0.82
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$362
$450
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$203
$297
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$759
$928
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$461
$548
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$38.2
$40.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$59
$61.8
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$17.3
$25.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.98%
4.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2045
$2996
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1110
$1427
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.88
$0.69
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$23.5
$11.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$12.1
$9.04
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.2
$0.49
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.61
$1.9
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.52
$0.95
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.21
$1.37
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.02
$2.32
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.5
$13.6
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.98
$4.64
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.1
$9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.73
$2.81
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$1.5
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.31
$2.58
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.41
$1.45
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$1.1
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.2
$1.21
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.32
$0.43
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.37
$1.15
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$17.7
$16.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.82
$3.04
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.46
$4.05
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.21
$3.45
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.36
$3.64
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.25
$1.57
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.46
$2.19
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$37.8
$41.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.63
$4.82
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$19
$20
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.48
$5.65
👖 Brand Jeans
$56.4
$56.9
👟 Brand Sneakers
$83.2
$77.6
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$294
$254
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$14196
$8723

Cost of living in other countries

Chiang MaiKuala Lumpur

Cost of living

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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
$633
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$584
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$610
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$537
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$569
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$660
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$650
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$701
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1253
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$654
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1183
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$705
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1163
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$604
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$543
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$710
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$568
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$625
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$778
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$588
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$661
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$641
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$595
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$548
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$715
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$717
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$628
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$941
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$748
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$753
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1161
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$553
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$678
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$739
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$743
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$781
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$752
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$656
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$632
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$579

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$701
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$714
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$645
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$532
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$585
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$670
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$604
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$669
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$631
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$682
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$543
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$628
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$529
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$703
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$503
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$695
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$679
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$565
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$474
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$619
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$501
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$542
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$486
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$620
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$759
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$605
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3059
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2788
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$582
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$485
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$481
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$539
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$470
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$490
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$506
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$536
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$560
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$461
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$570
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$719