Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukit Mertajam and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bukit Mertajam costs roughly 25% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bukit Mertajam 52% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 MYR 7.32

$1.96 ฿63.6

-5.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 MYR 80.0

$18.81 ฿611

7.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 MYR 15.09

$7.92 ฿258

-51.77%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$1.91 ฿62.2

21.99%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.84 ฿27.25

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.35 ฿11.44

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$2.21 ฿71.7

36.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MYR 18.71

$3.80 ฿124

24.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.63

$1.64 ฿53.2

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.47

$1.62 ฿52.8

-30.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MYR 2.41

$1.18 ฿38.40

-48.31%

Eggs

$1.86 MYR 7.34

$2.01 ฿65.4

-7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.05 MYR 87.1

$15.89 ฿517

38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.27

$3.01 ฿98.0

62.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.64

$10.77 ฿350

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 MYR 15.27

$2.61 ฿85.0

47.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 6.97

$1.22 ฿39.65

45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.41

$1.70 ฿55.4

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.17

$1.58 ฿51.2

62.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.75

$1.32 ฿42.89

29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.17 ฿38.01

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$0.67 ฿21.85

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.56 ฿18.21

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$4.53 ฿147

-7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.23 MYR 76.0

$18.20 ฿592

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 MYR 16.70

$1.83 ฿59.6

131.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$3.23 ฿105

-20.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.89 ฿28.83

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.00

$19.38 ฿630

-38.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.56

$1.35 ฿43.95

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.35 ฿43.79

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 MYR 16.49

$8.25 ฿268

-49.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.27 ฿41.40

-60.63%

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

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

108.33%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

39.68%

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

$26.25 MYR 104

$70.2 ฿2,281

-62.58%

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

$9.95 MYR 39.29

$13.77 ฿448

-27.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MYR 112

$17.60 ฿572

61.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 MYR 143

$41.57 ฿1,352

-12.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.72

$6.60 ฿215

-9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 MYR 16.98

$5.78 ฿188

-25.61%

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

$117 MYR 461

$306 ฿9,953

-61.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-70.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.96 MYR 47.25

$54.4 ฿1,768

-78.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 MYR 249

$26.14 ฿850

140.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.31 MYR 92.1

$84.5 ฿2,748

-72.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MYR 316

$69.4 ฿2,257

15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,514

$424 ฿13.8K

-9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 MYR 233

$238 ฿7,743

-75.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 MYR 2,556

$825 ฿26.8K

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$515 ฿16.7K

-9.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,853

$635 ฿20.6K

53.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

-20.80%

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

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Bukit Mertajam and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai 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

Bukit Mertajam vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bukit Mertajam and Chiang Mai differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($639 vs $852 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bukit Mertajam pays 54% 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: $383 in Bukit Mertajam versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $639 per month in Bukit Mertajam versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $852 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.