Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kangar, Perlis Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kangar, Perlis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $859 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,310 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,762 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Kangar, Perlis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kangar, Perlis 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.52 MYR 14.36

-42.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$19.01 MYR 77.6

-1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.83 MYR 19.72

62.73%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.77 MYR 11.30

-26.71%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.72 MYR 2.95

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.44 MYR 14.06

-37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.84 MYR 19.75

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.79 MYR 7.29

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.94 MYR 3.86

67.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.29 MYR 5.26

-6.98%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.13 MYR 8.68

-7.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$15.14 MYR 61.8

7.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.29 MYR 17.51

-28.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$9.41 MYR 38.43

14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.45 MYR 5.91

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.61 MYR 10.67

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.45 MYR 5.92

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.18 MYR 4.83

17.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.32 MYR 5.40

-12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.55 MYR 2.27

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.33 MYR 17.69

7.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$16.63 MYR 67.9

6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.82 MYR 11.51

-36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.01 MYR 12.30

10.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.70 MYR 2.84

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$11.69 MYR 47.73

59.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.16 MYR 4.73

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.02 MYR 4.17

31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.80 MYR 23.67

39.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.46 MYR 1.89

167.39%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.6K MYR 145.2K

-39.71%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.8K MYR 130.0K

-31.45%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$42.93 MYR 175

66.15%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.33 MYR 38.10

50.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.91 MYR 118

-37.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$36.62 MYR 150

11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.00 MYR 24.49

14.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.86 MYR 19.86

17.70%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$187 MYR 763

64.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,800 MYR 27.8K

115.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$61.5 MYR 251

-9.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.36 MYR 112

-4.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$72.0 MYR 294

17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$51.3 MYR 210

38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$394 MYR 1,609

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$268 MYR 1,096

-9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$646 MYR 2,639

23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$469 MYR 1,914

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,332 MYR 9,522

-17.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,271 MYR 5,191

15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

22.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $394 in Kangar, Perlis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $247 – 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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kangar, Perlis costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,288 in Kangar, Perlis. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $187 in Kangar, Perlis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Kangar, Perlis, 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 $859 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $859 in Kangar, Perlis. 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, Kangar, Perlis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.