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: $865 in Bintulu versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,330 in Bintulu versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,795 in Bintulu versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 9% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 37% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 MYR 15.66

$2.08 ฿69.2

86.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 MYR 76.0

$19.64 ฿651

-4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 MYR 24.54

$5.65 ฿188

7.43%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.68

$1.81 ฿59.9

59.67%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$0.71 ฿23.66

-2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.32 ฿10.48

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.86

$2.24 ฿74.2

30.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 MYR 20.94

$3.63 ฿121

42.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 MYR 8.48

$1.96 ฿65.0

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.50

$1.50 ฿49.83

-9.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.34 ฿44.32

Eggs

$2.27 MYR 9.17

$2.26 ฿75.1

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.16 MYR 69.4

$16.26 ฿539

5.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 MYR 14.33

$2.95 ฿98.0

20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.84 MYR 23.61

$9.94 ฿330

-41.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.17

$2.57 ฿85.3

-31.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$1.06 ฿35.04

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.88

$1.61 ฿53.5

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.57

$1.52 ฿50.4

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$1.27 ฿42.14

-59.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.90

$1.07 ฿35.37

13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MYR 3.03

$0.72 ฿23.89

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.66

$0.51 ฿16.87

-19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 17.31

$4.19 ฿139

2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 MYR 79.4

$17.87 ฿593

9.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.46

$1.69 ฿56.2

82.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 MYR 8.23

$2.84 ฿94.1

-28.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 MYR 4.88

$0.93 ฿30.70

30.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.56 MYR 67.0

$53.9 ฿1,787

-69.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.85

$1.23 ฿40.95

-22.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 MYR 3.63

$0.58 ฿19.13

55.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 MYR 10.32

$2.42 ฿80.4

5.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$1.41 ฿46.84

-58.16%

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

$44.9K MYR 181.4K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

109.28%

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

$40.2K MYR 162.6K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

47.17%

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

$61.2 MYR 247

$63.7 ฿2,112

-3.91%

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

$32.46 MYR 131

$12.85 ฿426

152.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 MYR 126

$20.22 ฿671

53.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 MYR 276

$38.74 ฿1,285

76.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.18 MYR 49.23

$3.97 ฿132

206.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 MYR 18.35

$6.74 ฿223

-32.64%

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

$126 MYR 508

$778 ฿25.8K

-83.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,322 MYR 29.6K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-49.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MYR 268

$54.3 ฿1,801

22.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.73 MYR 144

$25.45 ฿844

40.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MYR 321

$94.3 ฿3,129

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 MYR 380

$73.4 ฿2,436

27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MYR 914

$490 ฿16.2K

-53.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 MYR 637

$289 ฿9,596

-45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,926

$894 ฿29.6K

-46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,402

$517 ฿17.1K

-32.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,726 MYR 6,980

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-11.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 MYR 4,782

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-19.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 MYR 2,450

$602 ฿20.0K

0.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.57

-19.21%

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

Last update for Bintulu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Bintulu and $490 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: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $240 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 9% 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.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Bintulu, 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: $226 in Bintulu versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $865 per month in Bintulu versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 225% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $865 in Bintulu versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $865 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 9% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.