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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $910 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,301 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,692 in Sarawak, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Sarawak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.56 MYR 14.53

-42.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$18.58 MYR 75.9

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.20 MYR 21.24

51.15%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.79 MYR 11.40

-27.24%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.77 MYR 3.15

3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.39 MYR 1.60

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.96 MYR 32.50

-73.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$8.35 MYR 34.08

-56.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.00 MYR 4.10

57.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.25 MYR 5.10

-4.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.15 MYR 8.76

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$14.97 MYR 61.1

8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.56 MYR 10.44

19.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$9.16 MYR 37.39

17.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.45 MYR 5.93

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.44 MYR 5.89

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.18 MYR 4.84

17.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-8.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.04 MYR 4.23

-36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.63 MYR 2.56

-17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.18 MYR 17.07

11.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$21.03 MYR 85.9

-15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.85 MYR 11.64

-37.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.89 MYR 11.80

15.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.73 MYR 2.96

24.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$11.95 MYR 48.78

55.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.16 MYR 4.76

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.03 MYR 4.22

30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.92 MYR 24.18

36.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.46 MYR 1.87

167.39%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.4K MYR 144.6K

-39.46%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.0K MYR 126.6K

-29.64%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$43.71 MYR 178

63.19%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.89 MYR 36.29

57.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$28.59 MYR 117

-37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$36.99 MYR 151

10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.02 MYR 24.56

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.88 MYR 19.94

17.21%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$186 MYR 760

65.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,913 MYR 28.2K

112.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$36.01 MYR 147

54.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$38.55 MYR 157

-32.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$77.2 MYR 315

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$57.1 MYR 233

24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$328 MYR 1,339

29.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$272 MYR 1,111

-10.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$502 MYR 2,050

58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$350 MYR 1,427

44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,078 MYR 8,486

-7.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,132 MYR 4,624

29.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$417 MYR 1,702

42.76%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $328 in Sarawak. 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 43% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $248 – 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 Sarawak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarawak costs about 7% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,366 in Sarawak. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $186 in Sarawak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Sarawak, 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 $910 in Sarawak, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $910 in Sarawak. 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, Sarawak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.