Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $863 in Kedah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,326 in Kedah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,790 in Kedah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.98 MYR 12.17

-31.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$21.22 MYR 86.7

-11.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.13 MYR 16.85

90.31%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.83 MYR 11.55

-28.27%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$0.68 MYR 2.77

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.34 MYR 1.38

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$4.44 MYR 18.12

-51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.51 MYR 18.42

-18.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.87 MYR 7.65

-7.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.95 MYR 3.90

65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$1.20 MYR 4.92

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$2.12 MYR 8.66

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$15.11 MYR 61.7

7.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.18 MYR 21.15

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$14.66 MYR 59.9

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$2.91 MYR 11.90

-4.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$1.19 MYR 4.88

-1.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.69 MYR 11.00

-36.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.09 MYR 8.55

-23.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$1.13 MYR 4.61

23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$1.18 MYR 4.81

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$0.95 MYR 3.88

-30.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.45 MYR 1.83

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.23 MYR 17.26

9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$21.23 MYR 86.7

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$2.64 MYR 10.77

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.41 MYR 13.94

-2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.68 MYR 2.78

33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$11.81 MYR 48.24

57.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.72 MYR 2.95

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$0.50 MYR 2.06

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.89 MYR 28.15

17.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$0.50 MYR 2.05

146.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$33.7K MYR 137.6K

-36.37%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$27.9K MYR 114.0K

-21.84%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$39.27 MYR 160

81.64%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$10.03 MYR 40.95

39.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$11.86 MYR 48.45

51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$36.69 MYR 150

11.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.81 MYR 23.71

18.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.80 MYR 11.44

104.29%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$235 MYR 961

31.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$6,259 MYR 25.6K

134.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$55.4 MYR 226

0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$29.00 MYR 118

-10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$62.2 MYR 254

36.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$52.2 MYR 213

36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$386 MYR 1,575

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$265 MYR 1,084

-8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$632 MYR 2,580

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$465 MYR 1,899

8.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$2,134 MYR 8,714

-10.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$1,171 MYR 4,781

25.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,310 MYR 5,350

-54.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

20.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kedah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $386 in Kedah. 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 120% higher in Kedah, 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 $21.00 in Kedah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $277 – 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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kedah costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,294 in Kedah. 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 $235 in Kedah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Kedah, 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 $863 in Kedah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $863 in Kedah. 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, Kedah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.