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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $933 in Gombak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Gombak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,841 in Gombak, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Gombak have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Gombak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Gombak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$3.79 MYR 15.52

-45.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$24.48 MYR 100

-19.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.01 MYR 20.50

13.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.08 MYR 12.62

-41.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.94 MYR 3.86

-18.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$3.24 MYR 13.26

-31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.84 MYR 23.91

-35.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.86 MYR 7.60

10.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.09 MYR 4.45

38.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.49 MYR 6.09

-6.04%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.83 MYR 7.50

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$9.63 MYR 39.42

68.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.24 MYR 13.24

-10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.55 MYR 39.10

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-22.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.89 MYR 7.73

-42.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.76 MYR 11.31

-41.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.74 MYR 7.12

-16.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-40.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.97 MYR 8.07

-46.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.49 MYR 6.09

-51.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.56 MYR 2.31

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.47 MYR 18.31

-5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$19.16 MYR 78.4

-4.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-38.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.64 MYR 18.99

-37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.76 MYR 3.10

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$12.11 MYR 49.56

344.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.26 MYR 5.14

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.39 MYR 1.59

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$9.20 MYR 37.66

-74.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.77 MYR 3.15

88.31%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$42.2K MYR 172.8K

-50.23%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$32.6K MYR 133.4K

-18.91%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$48.90 MYR 200

30.16%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.16 MYR 33.38

57.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$27.03 MYR 111

-24.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$39.64 MYR 162

-1.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.22 MYR 29.57

-45.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$3.12 MYR 12.78

110.90%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$283 MYR 1,158

177.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

39.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$51.7 MYR 212

6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$30.41 MYR 124

-18.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$77.3 MYR 316

21.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$87.5 MYR 358

-15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$423 MYR 1,733

15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$318 MYR 1,301

-9.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$674 MYR 2,760

32.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$434 MYR 1,778

19.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,332 MYR 9,545

-15.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,106 MYR 4,527

30.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$544 MYR 2,227

10.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.51

23.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Gombak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $423 in Gombak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Gombak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $249 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gombak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,399 in Gombak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Gombak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 344% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Gombak at $933. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gombak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $933 in Gombak. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gombak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.