Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $927 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,385 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,842 in Setia Alam, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$4.59 MYR 18.31

-57.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.15 MYR 92.4

-19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.84 MYR 19.32

61.57%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.13 MYR 12.50

-37.70%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.89 MYR 3.56

-4.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.37 MYR 1.47

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-35.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.80 MYR 7.16

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.68 MYR 2.72

139.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.98 MYR 3.91

16.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.73 MYR 6.91

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.62 MYR 18.44

250.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.92 MYR 15.63

-20.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.45 MYR 37.69

15.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.32 MYR 5.29

108.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.59 MYR 6.34

-23.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.29 MYR 5.14

25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.43 MYR 5.71

11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.23 MYR 4.93

13.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.27 MYR 5.07

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.61 MYR 2.42

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.56 MYR 2.24

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.06 MYR 16.20

15.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$19.94 MYR 79.6

-6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.23 MYR 12.90

-44.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.73 MYR 2.89

23.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$11.93 MYR 47.61

61.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.16 MYR 4.64

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$1.14 MYR 4.54

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.62 MYR 18.42

69.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.48 MYR 1.90

164.58%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

-45.88%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

-31.06%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$58.1 MYR 232

18.98%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.59 MYR 42.26

32.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$25.89 MYR 103

-30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$55.8 MYR 223

-26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$2.35 MYR 9.37

196.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.11 MYR 20.39

15.85%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$193 MYR 769

55.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

56.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$61.3 MYR 245

-10.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$24.70 MYR 98.6

8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$84.5 MYR 337

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$52.0 MYR 208

35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$496 MYR 1,979

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$309 MYR 1,233

-23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$815 MYR 3,252

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$524 MYR 2,091

-1.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,965 MYR 7,840

0.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$991 MYR 3,955

48.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-47.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

21.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $496 in Setia Alam. 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 91% higher in Setia Alam, 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 $23.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Setia Alam – so Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setia Alam 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,390 in Setia Alam. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $193 in Setia Alam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Setia Alam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Setia Alam at $927. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setia Alam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $927 in Setia Alam. 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, Setia Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.