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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $802 in Gombak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,233 in Gombak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,665 in Gombak, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Gombak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Gombak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gombak 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.95 MYR 76.8

-0.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.74 MYR 15.17

107.22%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.22 MYR 8.98

-13.51%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.73 MYR 2.94

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.34 MYR 1.36

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.61 MYR 14.62

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-26.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.91 MYR 7.73

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.00 MYR 4.05

63.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.44 MYR 5.84

-17.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.85 MYR 7.51

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.78 MYR 43.70

48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.55 MYR 14.41

-14.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.11 MYR 32.87

33.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.69 MYR 10.92

2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.74 MYR 7.07

-32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.49 MYR 10.10

-34.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.19 MYR 4.84

27.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.15 MYR 4.66

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.99 MYR 4.02

20.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.95 MYR 3.87

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.55 MYR 2.25

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.19 MYR 16.98

9.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$19.77 MYR 80.2

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.75 MYR 11.15

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.88 MYR 15.73

-17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.74 MYR 3.02

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.87 MYR 48.15

57.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.98 MYR 3.99

38.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.10 MYR 4.47

21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.22 MYR 17.12

85.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.49 MYR 1.99

151.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.6K MYR 128.1K

-31.56%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.5K MYR 111.3K

-17.88%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.15 MYR 167

71.42%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.55 MYR 38.74

43.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$22.93 MYR 93.0

-23.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.20 MYR 147

14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.75 MYR 23.33

21.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.81 MYR 19.52

19.96%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$116 MYR 471

164.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,242 MYR 17.2K

244.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$48.29 MYR 196

15.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.46 MYR 111

-4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$53.6 MYR 217

59.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$48.92 MYR 198

47.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$392 MYR 1,590

9.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$266 MYR 1,079

-10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$644 MYR 2,611

26.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$472 MYR 1,916

8.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,000 MYR 8,110

-0.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$956 MYR 3,877

55.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$552 MYR 2,238

12.13%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gombak: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $392 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 12% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $233 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 8% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,203 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 $307 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 3% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $802 in Gombak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gombak costs $802 versus $869 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.