Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Putra Heights Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Putra Heights

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $881 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,343 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,805 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Putra Heights, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Putra Heights are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Putra Heights 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.58 MYR 14.16

-45.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$18.86 MYR 74.5

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.83 MYR 19.07

63.98%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-33.68%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.85 MYR 3.35

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.46 MYR 1.81

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.31 MYR 17.02

-48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.03 MYR 23.81

-36.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.89 MYR 7.47

-13.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.01 MYR 4.00

60.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.29 MYR 5.09

-8.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.84 MYR 7.27

9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.79 MYR 58.4

7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.54 MYR 17.92

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.89 MYR 39.07

8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.91 MYR 11.49

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.53 MYR 6.06

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.68 MYR 10.57

-36.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.47 MYR 5.79

7.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.27 MYR 5.01

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.40 MYR 5.54

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.16 MYR 4.60

-42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.52 MYR 2.06

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.36 MYR 17.23

3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.67 MYR 58.0

24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.87 MYR 11.33

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.02 MYR 11.93

6.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 MYR 2.86

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.99 MYR 47.36

61.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.19 MYR 4.71

13.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.98 MYR 3.88

37.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.63 MYR 18.29

78.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.50 MYR 1.98

154.00%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$34.9K MYR 137.9K

-39.41%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$32.5K MYR 128.4K

-30.84%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$65.2 MYR 258

7.54%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.01 MYR 35.61

52.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$25.57 MYR 101

-31.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.46 MYR 144

14.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.99 MYR 23.67

10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.23 MYR 20.66

10.52%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$191 MYR 753

60.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,828 MYR 27.0K

117.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$61.6 MYR 243

-11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$19.14 MYR 75.6

36.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$74.1 MYR 293

14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$39.30 MYR 155

76.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$382 MYR 1,510

10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$265 MYR 1,046

-10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$657 MYR 2,595

25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$462 MYR 1,826

11.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,803 MYR 7,120

13.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$883 MYR 3,488

72.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,151 MYR 4,548

-44.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $382 in Putra Heights. 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 81% higher in Putra Heights, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Putra Heights. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $247 – 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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putra Heights costs about 3% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,321 in Putra Heights. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $191 in Putra Heights. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Putra Heights, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $881 in Putra Heights, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $881 in Putra Heights. 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, Putra Heights makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.