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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Gombak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,234 in Gombak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,648 in Gombak, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Gombak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Gombak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gombak 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.60 MYR 10.63

-21.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$19.17 MYR 78.3

-2.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.80 MYR 15.52

106.84%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.25 MYR 9.19

-9.78%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.71 MYR 2.91

12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.59 MYR 14.64

-40.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$5.13 MYR 20.96

-28.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.01 MYR 4.12

55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.43 MYR 5.84

-16.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.83 MYR 7.46

7.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.56 MYR 43.13

53.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.44 MYR 14.04

-11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.98 MYR 32.58

35.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.76 MYR 11.29

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.76 MYR 7.19

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.54 MYR 10.37

-32.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.22 MYR 4.98

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.17 MYR 4.80

18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.03 MYR 4.22

12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.94 MYR 3.85

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 MYR 2.22

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.19 MYR 17.10

10.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$19.32 MYR 78.9

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.67 MYR 10.92

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.92 MYR 15.99

-14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.68 MYR 2.77

33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$11.61 MYR 47.39

60.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.01 MYR 4.13

39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.11 MYR 4.52

20.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.20 MYR 17.16

93.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.49 MYR 2.00

151.02%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.3K MYR 127.6K

-31.43%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.0K MYR 114.2K

-21.94%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$41.18 MYR 168

73.22%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.75 MYR 39.80

43.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.07 MYR 94.2

-22.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$36.79 MYR 150

10.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.94 MYR 24.27

15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.99 MYR 20.37

14.63%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$116 MYR 472

166.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,317 MYR 17.6K

240.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$49.23 MYR 201

13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.21 MYR 111

-4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$54.8 MYR 224

54.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$49.55 MYR 202

43.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$380 MYR 1,550

11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$270 MYR 1,102

-10.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$656 MYR 2,678

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$470 MYR 1,919

7.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,115 MYR 8,637

-9.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,136 MYR 4,640

28.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$547 MYR 2,235

8.69%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gombak: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $380 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 9% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Gombak. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Gombak – so Gombak wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Gombak, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,229 in Gombak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $116 in Gombak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $819 in Gombak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gombak costs $819 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Gombak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.