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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $843 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,334 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,824 in Bintulu.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 11% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$3.89 MYR 15.88

-46.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$18.53 MYR 75.6

5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.78 MYR 23.57

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.96 MYR 12.09

-38.85%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.64 MYR 2.62

20.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.37 MYR 1.53

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.93 MYR 11.94

-24.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.13 MYR 20.93

-26.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.16 MYR 8.80

-5.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.37 MYR 5.61

10.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.32 MYR 5.39

6.06%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.18 MYR 8.90

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$16.92 MYR 69.0

-4.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.46 MYR 14.12

-16.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$5.93 MYR 24.20

58.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.67 MYR 6.82

60.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.01 MYR 4.11

7.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.67 MYR 6.82

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.16 MYR 4.75

25.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.52 MYR 2.10

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.76 MYR 3.09

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.44 MYR 1.81

20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.20 MYR 17.13

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$19.38 MYR 79.1

-5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.93 MYR 7.87

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$16.15 MYR 65.9

232.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.00 MYR 4.07

17.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.89 MYR 3.64

-34.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$2.40 MYR 9.77

-0.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.59 MYR 2.40

145.76%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

-53.32%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

-31.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$59.7 MYR 244

6.62%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$31.36 MYR 128

-58.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$31.26 MYR 128

-34.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$68.8 MYR 281

-43.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$12.31 MYR 50.2

-68.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.47 MYR 18.22

47.20%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$129 MYR 528

505.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

96.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$66.1 MYR 270

-16.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$35.14 MYR 143

-29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$79.7 MYR 325

18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$91.7 MYR 374

-19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$219 MYR 892

124.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$155 MYR 632

86.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$487 MYR 1,988

82.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$338 MYR 1,378

54.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,724 MYR 7,035

14.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,139 MYR 4,646

26.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$603 MYR 2,458

-0.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.5

23.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $219 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 0% 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 Chiang Mai vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $232 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

Chiang Mai vs Bintulu: 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.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Bintulu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $219 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $843 in Bintulu – 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 233% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $932 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 $843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bintulu 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.