Chiang Mai vs Kuala Lumpur - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chiang Mai Kuala Lumpur
🚶 Cost of living one person
$780
$981
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2112
$2371
🏠 One person rent
$353
$468
🏘️ Family rent
$618
$806
🍽️ Food expenses
$263
$320
🚐 Transport expenses
$81.5
$107
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$577
$1331
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
56
93
😀 Quality of life
65
84
🏙️ Population
1.2M
9M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 20% less expensive than in Kuala Lumpur. Cities ranked 6841st and 5802nd ($780 vs $981) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 20th 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 2nd best city to live in Thailand vs Kuala Lumpur ranked 1st in Malaysia, while ranked 5309th and 520th among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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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
$2.24
$4.71
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$20.8
$31
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.07
$5.12
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.26
$5
☕ Cappuccino
$1.99
$3.55
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.81
$1.01
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$444
$602
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$253
$350
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$808
$1058
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$465
$631
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$42.2
$41.1
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$65.2
$63.5
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$19.7
$26.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.79%
4.51%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2110
$3532
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1564
$1566
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.98
$0.78
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$21.8
$17.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$10.1
$10.8
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.3
$0.6
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.98
$2.3
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.78
$1.11
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.27
$1.58
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.28
$2.72
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$17.8
$15.1
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.38
$5.47
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.4
$9.9
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.62
$3.33
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.09
$1.82
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.72
$2.77
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.7
$1.63
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.48
$1.37
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.24
$1.53
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.36
$0.49
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.36
$1.24
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$19.2
$18.9
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.84
$3.33
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.69
$4.57
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$1.29
$4.02
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.52
$3.89
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.31
$1.89
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.55
$2.43
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$40.1
$50.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.8
$5.12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$19.8
$21.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.42
$6.47
👖 Brand Jeans
$60
$64.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$103
$93.2
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$743
$309
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16138
$10356

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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
$709
153 km or 95 mi Chiang Rai
$626
255 km or 158 mi Hpa-an
$593
258 km or 160 mi Phitsanulok
$585
294 km or 183 mi Mawlamyine
$571
306 km or 190 mi Taunggyi
$546
308 km or 191 mi Bago
$592
317 km or 197 mi Naypyidaw
$614
353 km or 219 mi Luang Prabang
$1269
363 km or 226 mi Nakhon Sawan
$730
365 km or 227 mi Vang Vieng
$1082
373 km or 232 mi Yangon
$629
392 km or 244 mi Vientiane
$1056
404 km or 251 mi Jinghong
$590
426 km or 265 mi Udon Thani
$581
466 km or 289 mi Mandalay
$550
485 km or 301 mi Khon Kaen
$621
489 km or 304 mi Pu'er
$610
503 km or 313 mi Pathein
$695
537 km or 334 mi Nakhon Ratchasima
$610
545 km or 339 mi Monywa
$528
551 km or 342 mi Tha Khlong
$710
561 km or 349 mi Rangsit
$656
564 km or 351 mi Nakhon Pathom
$658
566 km or 352 mi Pak Kret
$788
571 km or 355 mi Nonthaburi
$789
578 km or 359 mi Lincang
$613
584 km or 363 mi Bangkok
$1027
597 km or 371 mi Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$829
597 km or 371 mi Lat Luang
$833
634 km or 394 mi Thakhek
$1038
641 km or 398 mi Sa Pa
$563
656 km or 407 mi Sittwe
$571
666 km or 414 mi Chaophraya Surasak
$823
667 km or 415 mi Laem Chabang
$838
681 km or 423 mi Pattaya
$874
685 km or 426 mi Nong Prue
$846
699 km or 435 mi Hua Hin
$784
704 km or 438 mi Baoshan
$615
707 km or 439 mi Vinh
$590

Cities near Kuala Lumpur

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.7 mi Petaling Jaya
$813
15 km or 9.1 mi Subang Jaya
$831
19 km or 12 mi Shah Alam
$750
24 km or 15 mi Putrajaya
$627
25 km or 16 mi Cyberjaya
$664
30 km or 19 mi Klang
$762
54 km or 33 mi Seremban
$678
123 km or 77 mi Malacca
$736
124 km or 77 mi Teluk Intan
$701
155 km or 97 mi Muar
$788
167 km or 104 mi Dumai
$513
176 km or 109 mi Ipoh
$696
196 km or 122 mi Kuantan
$588
199 km or 124 mi Batu Pahat
$780
211 km or 131 mi Tanjungbalai
$485
217 km or 135 mi Taiping
$572
219 km or 136 mi Kluang
$770
229 km or 142 mi Chukai
$640
282 km or 175 mi Tebing Tinggi
$461
291 km or 181 mi Butterworth
$740
291 km or 181 mi Kuala Terengganu
$572
292 km or 181 mi Pekanbaru
$495
293 km or 182 mi Pematangsiantar
$470
294 km or 183 mi George Town
$792
297 km or 184 mi Johor Bahru
$838
309 km or 192 mi Sungai Petani
$663
311 km or 193 mi Singapore City
$3119
315 km or 195 mi Bukit Merah
$2806
335 km or 208 mi Padangsidempuan
$558
338 km or 210 mi Kota Bharu
$551
341 km or 212 mi Medan
$461
346 km or 215 mi Batam
$533
360 km or 224 mi Binjai
$458
361 km or 225 mi Alor Setar
$564
394 km or 245 mi Tanjung Pinang
$495
402 km or 250 mi Kangar
$628
413 km or 257 mi Langkawi
$634
441 km or 274 mi Langsa
$451
451 km or 280 mi Hat Yai
$622
457 km or 284 mi Ko Lipe
$790