Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Bintulu versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,232 in Bintulu versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,681 in Bintulu versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 10% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 42% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 14.82

$1.94 ฿63.5

92.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.52 MYR 69.5

$18.64 ฿609

-6.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 MYR 22.64

$7.82 ฿255

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.55

$1.95 ฿63.8

49.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$0.85 ฿27.77

-22.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.57

$0.35 ฿11.58

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MYR 10.89

$2.13 ฿69.6

29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 MYR 19.84

$3.73 ฿122

34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MYR 6.84

$1.71 ฿56.0

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.41

$1.63 ฿53.2

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.06

$1.14 ฿37.15

12.28%

Eggs

$2.19 MYR 8.70

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 MYR 65.7

$16.21 ฿530

2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 MYR 13.26

$3.12 ฿102

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.74 MYR 22.75

$10.90 ฿356

-47.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.70

$2.75 ฿90.0

-38.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 MYR 3.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

-19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.48

$1.62 ฿53.0

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.45

$1.59 ฿51.8

-29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.07

$1.40 ฿45.70

-62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$1.17 ฿38.17

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.85

$0.66 ฿21.60

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.53 ฿17.22

-26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 MYR 15.64

$4.69 ฿153

-15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 76.3

$18.66 ฿609

3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.01

$1.80 ฿58.8

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MYR 7.70

$3.23 ฿106

-39.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$0.90 ฿29.26

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.56 MYR 61.7

$19.21 ฿628

-19.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.86

$1.41 ฿45.91

-31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 MYR 3.42

$1.29 ฿42.12

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 MYR 9.29

$7.84 ฿256

-70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.02

$1.27 ฿41.58

-59.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.9K MYR 166.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

97.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.5K MYR 148.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

68.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$57.1 MYR 226

$69.1 ฿2,256

-17.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$14.08 ฿460

-33.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.85 MYR 118

$18.00 ฿588

65.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 MYR 256

$41.06 ฿1,341

57.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.97

$6.96 ฿227

-16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 MYR 16.57

$5.92 ฿193

-29.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$121 MYR 479

$299 ฿9,766

-59.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 243

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.41 MYR 132

$26.77 ฿874

24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 309

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 MYR 344

$70.6 ฿2,306

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MYR 830

$428 ฿14.0K

-51.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 MYR 606

$237 ฿7,752

-35.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,845

$801 ฿26.2K

-41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 MYR 1,272

$515 ฿16.8K

-37.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 MYR 7,054

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-9.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 MYR 4,762

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-18.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 MYR 2,474

$617 ฿20.2K

1.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bintulu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $209 in Bintulu and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $246 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bintulu vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bintulu pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $209 in Bintulu versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $784 per month in Bintulu versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 23% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bintulu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $784 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.