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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $877 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,334 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,791 in Kangar, Perlis, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$3.60 MYR 14.82

-45.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$18.94 MYR 77.9

-2.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$4.75 MYR 19.53

65.68%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.87 MYR 11.80

-32.06%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.73 MYR 3.01

16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.37 MYR 1.51

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.50 MYR 14.39

-38.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$5.03 MYR 20.72

-26.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.88 MYR 7.73

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.99 MYR 4.08

57.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.30 MYR 5.35

-8.46%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.11 MYR 8.69

-5.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$15.08 MYR 62.1

7.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$4.44 MYR 18.25

-28.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$9.40 MYR 38.68

15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.00 MYR 12.34

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.47 MYR 6.05

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.53 MYR 10.39

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.45 MYR 5.97

6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.19 MYR 4.89

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.26 MYR 5.19

-3.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.99 MYR 4.08

-31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.56 MYR 2.30

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$4.33 MYR 17.80

8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$18.87 MYR 77.6

-9.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.76 MYR 11.35

-34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.86 MYR 11.78

11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.72 MYR 2.97

26.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$11.83 MYR 48.68

58.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.19 MYR 4.91

18.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.04 MYR 4.26

28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$5.73 MYR 23.59

42.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$0.46 MYR 1.91

178.26%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$35.8K MYR 147.4K

-39.06%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$31.1K MYR 128.0K

-27.97%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$43.08 MYR 177

63.60%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$9.26 MYR 38.09

51.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$28.55 MYR 117

-38.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$36.94 MYR 152

11.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$6.03 MYR 24.80

12.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$4.81 MYR 19.80

23.91%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$191 MYR 785

58.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,937 MYR 28.5K

115.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$60.8 MYR 250

-10.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$27.37 MYR 113

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$74.1 MYR 305

15.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$50.6 MYR 208

37.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$387 MYR 1,594

10.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$269 MYR 1,105

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$634 MYR 2,609

27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$464 MYR 1,910

9.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$2,158 MYR 8,878

-6.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$830 MYR 3,414

81.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kangar, Perlis: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $387 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $253 – 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 3% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,316 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $191 in Kangar, Perlis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $877 in Kangar, Perlis, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $877 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.