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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 7.2% cheaper than Penang without rent, and 1.8% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 4.4% cheaper than Penang without rent, and 0.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿63.2

$3.14 MYR 12.94

-36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 ฿598

$21.48 MYR 88.7

-12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 ฿242

$4.31 MYR 17.8

75.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿64.9

$2.87 MYR 11.84

-29.27%

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

$0.79 ฿25.13

$0.69 MYR 2.84

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.32

$0.37 MYR 1.51

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ฿67.5

$4.44 MYR 18.31

-52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿115

$4.35 MYR 17.96

-17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿55.3

$1.89 MYR 7.8

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿50.3

$1.02 MYR 4.22

53.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.2 ฿38.4

$1.95 MYR 8.05

-38.46%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿64.4

$2.07 MYR 8.56

-2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.01 ฿512

$17.19 MYR 70.9

-6.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ฿100

$5.05 MYR 20.83

-38.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ฿346

$14.97 MYR 61.8

-27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿84.7

$2.78 MYR 11.46

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿38.76

$1.45 MYR 5.96

-16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿54.1

$2.59 MYR 10.69

-34.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿50.6

$2.09 MYR 8.63

-24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.31

$1.18 MYR 4.89

16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿37.05

$1.22 MYR 5.02

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.01

$0.97 MYR 4.01

-31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿16.83

$0.45 MYR 1.86

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿145

$4.14 MYR 17.1

9.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 ฿590

$16.71 MYR 69

10.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿59.5

$2.65 MYR 10.95

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 ฿107

$3.39 MYR 13.98

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.56

$0.49 MYR 2

95.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿616

$17.82 MYR 73.6

7.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿43.62

$0.69 MYR 2.86

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.14

$0.5 MYR 2.07

170.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.78 ฿249

$6.97 MYR 28.77

11.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿40.72

$0.49 MYR 2.03

159.18%

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

$21.5K ฿687K

$33.6K MYR 138.5K

-36.03%

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

$22.2K ฿711.4K

$27K MYR 111.6K

-17.76%

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

$70.4 ฿2,251

$38.25 MYR 158

83.95%

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

$13.97 ฿447

$10.05 MYR 41.49

39.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿574

$30.73 MYR 127

-41.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 ฿1,313

$32.53 MYR 134

26.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.8 ฿218

$5.65 MYR 23.32

20.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 ฿183

$5.04 MYR 20.78

13.29%

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

$302 ฿9,656

$234 MYR 966

28.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿475.1K

$6,245 MYR 25.8K

137.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 ฿1,795

$55.4 MYR 228

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.69 ฿854

$29.03 MYR 120

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 ฿2,754

$61.9 MYR 255

39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ฿2,252

$52.4 MYR 216

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.7K

$380 MYR 1,569

12.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 ฿7,769

$222 MYR 918

9.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ฿25.8K

$653 MYR 2,694

23.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.4K

$513 MYR 2,118

-0.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 ฿71.1K

$2,505 MYR 10.3K

-11.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,414 ฿45.3K

$1,311 MYR 5,412

7.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ฿21.8K

$1,128 MYR 4,655

-39.69%

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: November 29, 2025

Last update for Penang: November 30, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Similar cities

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Minsk

🇧🇾 Belarus

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Curitiba

🇧🇷 Brazil

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil