Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Johor Bahru

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,080 in Johor Bahru, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Johor Bahru
Learn more

Johor Bahru Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Johor Bahru

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,080

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Johor Bahru

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Johor Bahru actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,080 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Johor Bahru $1,080

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,611 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Johor Bahru $1,611

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,141 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Johor Bahru $2,141

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Johor Bahru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Johor Bahru are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Johor Bahru 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.57 MYR 14.52

-37.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$18.54 MYR 75.5

2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.03 MYR 20.47

10.34%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.00 MYR 12.20

-44.33%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.85 MYR 3.45

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.56 MYR 2.30

-44.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$4.54 MYR 18.48

-48.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.27 MYR 25.50

-41.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.70 MYR 6.92

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$1.05 MYR 4.28

37.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$1.42 MYR 5.77

-6.34%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.73 MYR 7.03

31.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$18.23 MYR 74.2

-9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.57 MYR 18.60

-39.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.51 MYR 42.77

-11.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.28 MYR 13.37

-28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$1.74 MYR 7.09

-44.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.91 MYR 15.93

-59.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.64 MYR 6.67

-8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$1.41 MYR 5.72

-9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$1.65 MYR 6.70

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$1.37 MYR 5.56

-48.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.56 MYR 2.26

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.19 MYR 17.05

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$14.20 MYR 57.8

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.92 MYR 11.90

-44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.03 MYR 12.32

-8.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.70 MYR 2.83

24.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$12.36 MYR 50.3

337.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$0.94 MYR 3.84

23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$0.75 MYR 3.07

-29.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$9.95 MYR 40.50

-75.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$0.83 MYR 3.37

74.70%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$43.9K MYR 178.6K

-52.00%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

-24.60%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$52.7 MYR 214

18.04%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$11.01 MYR 44.82

10.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$28.28 MYR 115

-28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$41.28 MYR 168

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$5.80 MYR 23.59

-35.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.81 MYR 19.59

34.93%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$239 MYR 974

207.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$4,518 MYR 18.4K

226.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$54.6 MYR 222

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$16.53 MYR 67.3

49.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$81.3 MYR 331

12.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$98.3 MYR 400

-26.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$523 MYR 2,130

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$416 MYR 1,692

-25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$983 MYR 4,000

2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$707 MYR 2,879

-10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$2,002 MYR 8,147

18.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,214 MYR 4,940

30.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,076 MYR 4,378

-45.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.06

37.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Johor Bahru

$416 38.5% 34.5% $107

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Johor Bahru

$269 24.9% 14.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Johor Bahru

$113 10.4% 3.8% $4.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Johor Bahru

$92 8.5% 2.7% $2.5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Johor Bahru

$120 11.2% 55.3% $43

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Johor Bahru

$20 1.8% 67.6% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Johor Bahru

$51 4.7% 1.2% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $523 in Johor Bahru. 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 82% higher in Johor Bahru. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Johor Bahru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $269 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇾 Johor Bahru

🕒 Local time

20:39 8:39 PM

21:39 9:39 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

858,118

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.246 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Johor Bahru 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Johor Bahru

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,620 in Johor Bahru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $523 in Johor Bahru. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Johor Bahru. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Johor Bahru, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,080 in Johor Bahru. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,080 in Johor Bahru. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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