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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $772 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,238 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,704 in Kepong, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kepong 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.64 MYR 14.75

-45.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$19.07 MYR 77.4

-1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.69 MYR 19.01

65.25%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.79 MYR 11.31

-31.18%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.80 MYR 3.26

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.39 MYR 1.59

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.56 MYR 14.45

-37.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.17 MYR 20.95

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.86 MYR 7.54

-11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.00 MYR 4.04

63.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.26 MYR 5.11

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.18 MYR 8.85

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$15.29 MYR 62.0

4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.21 MYR 21.14

-41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.56 MYR 42.80

2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.67 MYR 10.82

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.76 MYR 7.14

-32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.47 MYR 10.01

-33.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.25 MYR 5.05

21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.42 MYR 5.76

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.32 MYR 5.36

-9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.95 MYR 3.83

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.63 MYR 2.57

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.26 MYR 17.26

7.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$14.23 MYR 57.7

16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.80 MYR 11.36

-34.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.03 MYR 12.30

5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.74 MYR 3.01

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.56 MYR 46.87

61.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.97 MYR 3.95

40.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.98 MYR 3.98

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.98 MYR 36.42

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.50 MYR 2.02

146.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.0K MYR 125.8K

-30.32%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.6K MYR 111.8K

-18.23%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$46.48 MYR 188

51.76%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.27 MYR 37.58

47.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$23.85 MYR 96.7

-26.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$32.18 MYR 131

28.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.92 MYR 24.01

17.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.98 MYR 20.18

15.86%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$212 MYR 860

44.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,980 MYR 28.3K

109.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$49.66 MYR 201

12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.49 MYR 95.3

11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$71.1 MYR 288

20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$49.58 MYR 201

45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$246 MYR 996

75.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$176 MYR 712

35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$607 MYR 2,463

34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$422 MYR 1,712

21.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,909 MYR 7,743

3.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$960 MYR 3,893

54.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$659 MYR 2,672

-6.10%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Kepong: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $246 in Kepong. 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 6% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Kepong, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,158 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $212 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $772 in Kepong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kepong costs $772 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 Kepong. 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.