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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $782 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,237 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,692 in Bintulu.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bintulu 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.84 MYR 15.72

-48.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$17.40 MYR 71.2

5.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.62 MYR 23.00

33.10%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.79 MYR 11.41

-27.60%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.62 MYR 2.55

37.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.36 MYR 1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.91 MYR 11.91

-26.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.91 MYR 20.09

-26.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.74 MYR 7.11

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.31 MYR 5.36

19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.25 MYR 5.12

-4.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.20 MYR 8.99

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$16.43 MYR 67.2

-1.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.82 MYR 23.82

87.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.68 MYR 6.87

61.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.98 MYR 4.01

19.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.66 MYR 6.79

1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.06 MYR 4.34

50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.49 MYR 1.99

181.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.16 MYR 4.76

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.72 MYR 2.93

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.39 MYR 1.61

43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.89 MYR 15.92

19.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$19.91 MYR 81.5

-11.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.88 MYR 11.76

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.87 MYR 7.63

76.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$15.91 MYR 65.1

21.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.92 MYR 3.75

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.86 MYR 3.53

55.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.37 MYR 9.71

246.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.52 MYR 2.12

134.62%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$42.1K MYR 172.4K

-49.34%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$37.0K MYR 151.1K

-39.04%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$57.8 MYR 236

22.33%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.04 MYR 36.97

55.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$29.17 MYR 119

-40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$64.1 MYR 262

-34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.84 MYR 23.89

17.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.18 MYR 17.08

41.63%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$120 MYR 493

156.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,111 MYR 29.1K

109.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$62.3 MYR 255

-10.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.04 MYR 139

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$76.0 MYR 311

9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$88.2 MYR 361

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$208 MYR 851

107.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$151 MYR 616

58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$462 MYR 1,890

77.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$313 MYR 1,279

63.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,751 MYR 7,161

9.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,164 MYR 4,762

26.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$609 MYR 2,491

-4.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $208 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 5% 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 Chiang Mai vs $17.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $224 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 10% 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 5% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $208 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $782 in Bintulu – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 22% 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 $782 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 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.