Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kuala Terengganu Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kuala Terengganu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in Kuala Terengganu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,142 in Kuala Terengganu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,588 in Kuala Terengganu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kuala Terengganu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kuala Terengganu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.41 MYR 9.87

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$22.12 MYR 90.5

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.58 MYR 18.72

63.32%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.92 MYR 11.96

-30.82%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.48 MYR 1.96

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.27 MYR 1.11

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.60 MYR 14.71

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$5.00 MYR 20.45

-28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.55 MYR 6.33

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.96 MYR 3.91

63.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.31 MYR 5.35

-9.16%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.12 MYR 8.67

-8.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$15.02 MYR 61.4

7.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.43 MYR 18.12

-32.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.49 MYR 38.80

15.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.50 MYR 6.15

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.52 MYR 10.31

-32.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.42 MYR 5.82

12.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.18 MYR 4.82

16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.27 MYR 5.20

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.52 MYR 2.15

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.31 MYR 17.61

7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.63 MYR 76.2

-5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.83 MYR 11.59

-34.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.02 MYR 12.34

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.74 MYR 3.02

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$11.55 MYR 47.23

67.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.15 MYR 4.72

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.98 MYR 4.02

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.96 MYR 24.38

37.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.49 MYR 2.02

148.98%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-38.75%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$31.3K MYR 128.1K

-28.08%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$43.18 MYR 177

63.66%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.96 MYR 36.63

56.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$29.00 MYR 119

-39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$37.41 MYR 153

12.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.73 MYR 23.45

20.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.85 MYR 19.82

22.06%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$187 MYR 763

65.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,827 MYR 27.9K

117.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$61.3 MYR 251

-9.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$27.14 MYR 111

-3.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$73.5 MYR 301

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$50.8 MYR 208

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$200 MYR 820

115.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$116 MYR 474

106.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$648 MYR 2,651

26.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$273 MYR 1,116

87.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,050 MYR 8,383

-6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,138 MYR 4,653

28.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$490 MYR 2,003

18.32%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $200 in Kuala Terengganu. 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 18% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $249 – 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 Kuala Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Kuala Terengganu, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,044 in Kuala Terengganu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $187 in Kuala Terengganu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $696 in Kuala Terengganu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuala Terengganu costs $696 versus $861 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 Kuala Terengganu. 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.