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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $868 in Kedah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,344 in Kedah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,819 in Kedah, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Kedah have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.02 MYR 12.24

-34.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.42 MYR 86.9

-12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.28 MYR 17.34

81.07%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.95 MYR 11.95

-34.92%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.74 MYR 3.02

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.37 MYR 1.48

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.40 MYR 17.83

-49.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.48 MYR 18.18

-18.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.81 MYR 7.34

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.91 MYR 3.67

79.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.11 MYR 8.58

-5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$15.33 MYR 62.2

4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.00 MYR 20.26

-39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$14.66 MYR 59.5

-25.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.19 MYR 4.83

-0.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.61 MYR 10.59

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.17 MYR 8.81

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.19 MYR 4.83

15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.16 MYR 4.71

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.97 MYR 3.92

-27.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.48 MYR 1.95

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.13 MYR 16.75

10.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$19.59 MYR 79.5

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.64 MYR 10.69

-30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.37 MYR 13.66

-5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.68 MYR 2.77

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.77 MYR 47.71

59.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.69 MYR 2.82

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.47 MYR 1.92

185.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.98 MYR 28.32

12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.49 MYR 2.00

151.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

-35.42%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

-17.59%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$38.49 MYR 156

83.27%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.99 MYR 40.49

36.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$11.96 MYR 48.51

45.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.49 MYR 148

13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.85 MYR 23.74

18.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.81 MYR 11.40

105.34%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$238 MYR 963

29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

135.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$55.4 MYR 225

0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$28.32 MYR 115

-7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$62.0 MYR 251

38.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$52.5 MYR 213

37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$380 MYR 1,540

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$270 MYR 1,093

-11.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$646 MYR 2,620

26.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$465 MYR 1,885

9.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,964 MYR 7,963

0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$957 MYR 3,880

55.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,322 MYR 5,359

-53.18%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kedah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $380 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 114% higher in Kedah. 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: $241 vs $273 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,302 in Kedah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kedah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Kedah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Kedah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $868 in Kedah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kedah costs $868 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kedah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.