Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kota Kinabalu Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kota Kinabalu

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 0.7% cheaper than Kota Kinabalu without rent, and 1.9% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 19.7% cheaper than Kota Kinabalu without rent, and 0.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿65.3

$3.47 MYR 14.62

-41.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 ฿608

$19.14 MYR 80.7

-1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 ฿248

$4.79 MYR 20.2

60.13%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ฿64.2

$2.64 MYR 11.14

-25.00%

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

$0.82 ฿26.64

$0.64 MYR 2.72

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.58

$0.37 MYR 1.56

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ฿68.6

$2.3 MYR 9.71

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿121

$3.45 MYR 14.55

8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.73 MYR 7.29

-5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.9

$1.18 MYR 5

33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.62

$1.73 MYR 7.28

-31.21%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿64.1

$2.89 MYR 12.18

-31.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.99 ฿517

$26.25 MYR 111

-39.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿101

$3.51 MYR 14.82

-11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿361

$7.11 MYR 29.99

56.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿89.2

$2.55 MYR 10.75

8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.5

$1.14 MYR 4.79

7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿55.4

$3.3 MYR 13.91

-48.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.2

$2.01 MYR 8.5

-22.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.21

$1.47 MYR 6.18

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.23

$1.77 MYR 7.45

-31.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.2

$1.11 MYR 4.7

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.05

$0.47 MYR 1.98

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.72 ฿153

$4.04 MYR 17.04

16.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ฿595

$18.72 MYR 79

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿57.9

$1.84 MYR 7.77

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿104

$1.61 MYR 6.78

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.44

$1.49 MYR 6.27

-36.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.9 ฿612

$40.22 MYR 170

-53.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ฿46.08

$1.92 MYR 8.09

-26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.53

$0.43 MYR 1.82

213.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 ฿254

$5.79 MYR 24.43

35.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.4

$0.46 MYR 1.93

171.74%

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

$21.2K ฿684.9K

$29.6K MYR 124.7K

-28.44%

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

$21.8K ฿706.8K

$27.7K MYR 116.9K

-21.19%

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

$70.6 ฿2,285

$51.2 MYR 216

37.99%

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

$13.72 ฿444

$8.97 MYR 37.84

52.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.56 ฿568

$33.43 MYR 141

-47.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,347

$43.94 MYR 185

-5.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.9 ฿223

$2.98 MYR 12.57

131.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.8 ฿188

$4.58 MYR 19.33

26.64%

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

$308 ฿9,963

$129 MYR 544

138.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿475.8K

$4,457 MYR 18.8K

229.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,793

$60.6 MYR 255

-8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.4 ฿854

$22.48 MYR 94.8

17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 ฿2,755

$71.1 MYR 300

19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,323

$94 MYR 396

-23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ฿14K

$379 MYR 1,598

14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,610

$168 MYR 709

39.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ฿26.6K

$648 MYR 2,735

26.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$366 MYR 1,544

36.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 ฿70.6K

$1,364 MYR 5,754

59.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ฿49.9K

$1,139 MYR 4,804

35.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ฿22.8K

$551 MYR 2,325

27.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

31.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: October 27, 2025

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