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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,020 in Labuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,520 in Labuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,020 in Labuan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Labuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Labuan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Labuan 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.73 MYR 23.15

-63.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$25.06 MYR 101

-21.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$6.69 MYR 27.06

-15.55%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$4.05 MYR 16.37

-55.31%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$1.13 MYR 4.57

-37.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$0.41 MYR 1.68

-21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$4.12 MYR 16.67

-45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.77 MYR 19.28

-23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$1.84 MYR 7.45

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$1.06 MYR 4.29

41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$1.46 MYR 5.92

-8.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.94 MYR 7.84

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$17.49 MYR 70.7

-7.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$4.52 MYR 18.27

-34.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$9.66 MYR 39.06

2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$3.34 MYR 13.52

-23.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$1.59 MYR 6.43

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$2.52 MYR 10.19

-36.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$1.72 MYR 6.96

-11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$1.42 MYR 5.76

-10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$1.09 MYR 4.39

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$0.54 MYR 2.19

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$5.09 MYR 20.59

-17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$17.91 MYR 72.4

-0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$2.69 MYR 10.86

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$4.15 MYR 16.79

-31.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$0.65 MYR 2.64

43.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$11.40 MYR 46.08

372.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$1.21 MYR 4.89

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$0.50 MYR 2.00

16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

$7.73 MYR 31.27

-68.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$0.79 MYR 3.19

78.48%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$43.3K MYR 175.1K

-50.48%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$33.1K MYR 133.9K

-17.48%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$49.44 MYR 200

28.78%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$10.25 MYR 41.43

25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$29.01 MYR 117

-30.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$44.04 MYR 178

-12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$5.76 MYR 23.27

-31.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$4.58 MYR 18.50

47.16%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$165 MYR 665

372.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$4,895 MYR 19.8K

198.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$55.1 MYR 223

-1.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$31.19 MYR 126

-18.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$73.6 MYR 298

28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$66.8 MYR 270

9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$469 MYR 1,895

4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$329 MYR 1,329

-12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$646 MYR 2,611

38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$462 MYR 1,869

11.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

$2,199 MYR 8,892

-11.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

$1,158 MYR 4,681

27.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$367 MYR 1,485

63.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Labuan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $469 in Labuan. 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 64% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Labuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $267 – 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 Labuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Labuan costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,530 in Labuan. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $165 in Labuan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Labuan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Labuan at $1,020. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Labuan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,020 in Labuan. 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, Labuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.