Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kangar, Perlis

For one person, living is cheaper in Kangar, Perlis: $910 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $310 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Kangar, Perlis
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Kangar, Perlis Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kangar, Perlis

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$910

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kangar, Perlis

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 Kangar, Perlis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $910 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kangar, Perlis $910

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,427 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kangar, Perlis $1,427

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,944 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kangar, Perlis $1,944

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kangar, Perlis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Kangar, Perlis are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kangar, Perlis 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.59 MYR 14.55

-37.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$20.29 MYR 82.3

-6.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.02 MYR 20.37

10.56%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.59 MYR 10.51

-35.52%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.47 MYR 1.90

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$4.37 MYR 17.73

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.62 MYR 18.73

-20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.84 MYR 7.47

5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.06 MYR 4.29

35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.40 MYR 5.66

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.23 MYR 9.02

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$15.65 MYR 63.4

5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.01 MYR 20.30

-44.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.38 MYR 38.03

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.84 MYR 11.50

-17.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.82 MYR 7.38

-46.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.65 MYR 10.76

-39.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.34 MYR 5.42

11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.06 MYR 4.31

20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.45 MYR 5.87

-24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.12 MYR 4.53

-36.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.50 MYR 2.01

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.93 MYR 20.00

-16.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$21.61 MYR 87.6

-18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.81 MYR 11.38

-42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.47 MYR 18.13

-37.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.78 MYR 3.16

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$11.74 MYR 47.60

360.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.24 MYR 5.01

-6.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.60 MYR 2.43

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$7.61 MYR 30.83

-68.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.80 MYR 3.26

81.25%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$50.2K MYR 203.7K

-58.09%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$37.5K MYR 151.9K

-28.11%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$49.46 MYR 201

25.70%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$9.52 MYR 38.59

27.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$30.47 MYR 124

-33.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$32.44 MYR 132

15.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.31 MYR 29.62

-48.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.44 MYR 17.98

46.17%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$208 MYR 842

254.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$7,103 MYR 28.8K

107.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$59.7 MYR 242

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$38.71 MYR 157

-36.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$75.9 MYR 308

20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$84.9 MYR 344

-15.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$442 MYR 1,792

9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$264 MYR 1,072

16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$764 MYR 3,098

31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$547 MYR 2,219

15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,900 MYR 7,703

24.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,131 MYR 4,586

40.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

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 Kangar, Perlis: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kangar, Perlis

$264 29% 14.4% $45

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kangar, Perlis

$269 29.5% 14.7% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kangar, Perlis

$117 12.8% 7.4% $8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kangar, Perlis

$89 9.8% 5.3% $5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kangar, Perlis

$111 12.2% 42.7% $33

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kangar, Perlis

$19 2.1% 68.9% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kangar, Perlis

$41 4.5% 17.8% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $442 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 in Chiang Mai versus $20 in Kangar, Perlis. 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

🇲🇾 Kangar, Perlis

🕒 Local time

14:33 2:33 PM

15:33 3:33 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

284,853

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 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 = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.05 MYR (1 MYR = 0.247 USD). 1 EUR = 4.52 MYR (1 MYR = 0.221 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kangar, Perlis 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kangar, Perlis

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 Kangar, Perlis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kangar, Perlis, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,365 in Kangar, Perlis. 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 $442 in Kangar, Perlis. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $208 in Kangar, Perlis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $910 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kangar, Perlis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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