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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $935 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,410 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,884 in Sarawak, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Sarawak have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$3.72 MYR 15.22

-44.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$19.42 MYR 79.5

0.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.94 MYR 20.23

14.78%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.96 MYR 12.11

-38.85%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.81 MYR 3.32

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.38 MYR 1.56

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$3.67 MYR 15.02

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.37 MYR 17.87

-13.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$2.02 MYR 8.27

1.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.23 MYR 5.04

22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.63 MYR 6.69

-14.11%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.10 MYR 8.60

7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$15.12 MYR 61.9

7.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.02 MYR 16.44

-27.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.34 MYR 42.32

-8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.09 MYR 12.64

-13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.62 MYR 6.64

-32.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.11 MYR 8.65

-23.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.74 MYR 7.14

-16.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.29 MYR 5.29

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.32 MYR 5.42

-19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.18 MYR 4.84

-38.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.50 MYR 2.06

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.78 MYR 19.55

-11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$19.91 MYR 81.5

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.23 MYR 13.24

-49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.83 MYR 15.69

-24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.64 MYR 2.60

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$13.34 MYR 54.6

303.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.26 MYR 5.15

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.52 MYR 2.13

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.70 MYR 27.44

-64.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.72 MYR 2.94

101.39%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$48.2K MYR 197.2K

-56.39%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.9K MYR 130.5K

-17.14%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$46.34 MYR 190

37.35%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.78 MYR 35.92

46.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$28.27 MYR 116

-27.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$35.79 MYR 146

9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.01 MYR 28.68

-44.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.43 MYR 22.24

21.18%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$162 MYR 665

382.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$4,934 MYR 20.2K

197.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$56.2 MYR 230

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$35.00 MYR 143

-29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$72.6 MYR 297

29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$62.7 MYR 256

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$478 MYR 1,955

2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$348 MYR 1,423

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$779 MYR 3,189

14.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$464 MYR 1,901

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,812 MYR 7,415

8.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,158 MYR 4,738

24.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$349 MYR 1,428

72.46%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $478 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 72% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $267 in Sarawak – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,403 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Sarawak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 303% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Sarawak at $935. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarawak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $935 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.