Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$742
$892
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2009
$2135
🏠 One person rent
$320
$450
🏘️ Family rent
$613
$787
🍽️ Food expenses
$253
$295
🚐 Transport expenses
$91.2
$69.6
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$627
$1450
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
52
93
😀 Quality of life
63
76
🏙️ Population
1.2M
1.98M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 17% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 6705th and 6160th ($742 vs $892) 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 1.6 months in Kuala Lumpur. Chiang Mai ranked 3rd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 4766th and 883rd 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
$1.85
$4.35
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$19.8
$27.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.71
$4.78
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.29
$4.99
☕ Cappuccino
$1.84
$3.17
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.65
$0.85
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$388
$495
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$232
$343
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$854
$1006
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$458
$604
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$36.8
$48.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$56.6
$75.4
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$19.7
$27.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.13%
4.53%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2266
$3145
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1540
$1425
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.93
$0.72
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$24.5
$12.4
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$12.3
$9.79
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.24
$0.51
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.74
$2.05
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.61
$1.02
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.25
$1.42
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.16
$2.5
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.9
$14.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.87
$5.14
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.4
$10.2
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.97
$2.94
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.23
$1.61
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$2.88
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.1
$1.55
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.46
$1.18
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.29
$1.15
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.36
$0.46
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.38
$1.2
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$18.3
$17.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.91
$3.2
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.58
$4.31
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.34
$3.47
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.19
$3.34
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.3
$1.46
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.11
$2.21
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$40.5
$46.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.08
$4.89
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$18.9
$20
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.76
$6.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.2
$59.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$85.4
$80.1
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$488
$259
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13977
$9485

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
$655
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$513
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$612
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$559
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$564
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$617
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$783
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$690
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1251
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$674
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1174
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$919
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1168
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$599
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$555
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$613
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$608
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$626
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$792
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$564
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$588
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$664
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$613
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$564
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$739
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$759
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$623
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$994
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$786
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$787
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1151
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$549
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$593
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$758
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$769
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$800
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$773
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$676
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$625
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$583

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$738
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$732
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$687
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$571
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$617
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$729
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$630
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$699
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$673
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$752
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$585
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$670
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$518
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$750
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$538
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$759
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$745
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$579
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$504
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$671
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$544
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$590
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$518
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$669
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$709
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$637
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3168
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2852
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$624
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$517
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$519
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$604
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$503
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$523
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$549
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$563
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$594
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$490
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$561
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$742