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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 33% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.85 MYR 7.32

5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$20.24 MYR 80.0

-7.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.82 MYR 15.09

107.33%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.33 MYR 9.19

-18.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.74 MYR 2.94

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.33 MYR 1.32

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.02 MYR 11.93

-26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.74 MYR 18.71

-19.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.68 MYR 6.63

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.13 MYR 4.47

43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.61 MYR 2.41

93.44%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.86 MYR 7.34

8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-27.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.88 MYR 19.27

-38.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.54 MYR 41.64

2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-32.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-31.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.71 MYR 6.75

-22.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.00 MYR 3.97

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.07 MYR 4.22

-37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.36 MYR 1.44

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.19 MYR 16.55

8.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$19.23 MYR 76.0

-5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.56 MYR 10.10

26.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 MYR 2.86

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.90 MYR 47.00

62.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.15 MYR 4.56

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.15 MYR 4.55

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.17 MYR 16.49

97.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.50 MYR 1.97

154.00%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

-52.00%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

-28.41%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$26.25 MYR 104

167.24%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.95 MYR 39.29

38.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$28.38 MYR 112

-37.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.20 MYR 143

14.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$6.00 MYR 23.72

10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.30 MYR 16.98

34.42%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$117 MYR 461

162.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

242.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$11.96 MYR 47.25

354.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$63.0 MYR 249

-58.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$23.31 MYR 92.1

262.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$79.9 MYR 316

-13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$383 MYR 1,514

10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$59.0 MYR 233

303.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$647 MYR 2,556

27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$467 MYR 1,845

10.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$975 MYR 3,853

-34.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

26.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $297 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

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

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

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 54% 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $383 in Bukit Mertajam. 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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – 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, Chiang Mai and Bukit Mertajam 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.