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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $784 in Bintulu.

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.74 MYR 14.82

-48.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.52 MYR 69.5

6.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.71 MYR 22.64

36.95%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.91 MYR 11.55

-32.99%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.66 MYR 2.62

28.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.40 MYR 1.57

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.75 MYR 10.89

-22.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.00 MYR 19.84

-25.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.73 MYR 6.84

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.36 MYR 5.41

19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.28 MYR 5.06

-10.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.19 MYR 8.70

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$16.56 MYR 65.7

-2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.34 MYR 13.26

-6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.74 MYR 22.75

89.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.69 MYR 6.70

62.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.97 MYR 3.83

24.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.63 MYR 6.48

-0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.12 MYR 4.45

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.52 MYR 2.07

169.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.15 MYR 4.56

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.72 MYR 2.85

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.39 MYR 1.56

35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.95 MYR 15.64

18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$19.24 MYR 76.3

-3.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.78 MYR 11.01

-35.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.94 MYR 7.70

66.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$15.56 MYR 61.7

23.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.97 MYR 3.86

45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.86 MYR 3.42

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.34 MYR 9.29

235.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.51 MYR 2.02

149.02%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$41.9K MYR 166.3K

-49.26%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$37.5K MYR 148.8K

-40.80%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$57.1 MYR 226

21.03%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.31 MYR 36.93

51.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$29.85 MYR 118

-39.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$64.7 MYR 256

-36.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.79 MYR 22.97

20.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.18 MYR 16.57

41.63%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$121 MYR 479

147.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,933 MYR 27.5K

115.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.3 MYR 243

-10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$33.41 MYR 132

-19.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.1 MYR 309

8.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$86.8 MYR 344

-18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$209 MYR 830

104.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$153 MYR 606

55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$465 MYR 1,845

72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$321 MYR 1,272

60.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,779 MYR 7,054

10.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,201 MYR 4,762

22.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$624 MYR 2,474

-1.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $209 in Bintulu. 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 Chiang Mai vs $18.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $223 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, Bintulu earns 1% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $209 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $784 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 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, 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.