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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $973 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,913 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Setia Alam 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.06 MYR 20.69

-58.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$24.14 MYR 98.8

-18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.01 MYR 20.51

13.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.08 MYR 12.63

-41.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.81 MYR 3.33

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.44 MYR 1.80

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$4.46 MYR 18.26

-50.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$6.07 MYR 24.84

-37.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.87 MYR 7.63

9.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.70 MYR 2.88

115.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.06 MYR 4.33

32.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.81 MYR 7.41

24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$4.94 MYR 20.21

227.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.23 MYR 17.32

-31.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.66 MYR 39.52

-2.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.34 MYR 5.48

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.94 MYR 7.92

-43.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.37 MYR 5.61

18.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.30 MYR 5.34

-1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.32 MYR 5.42

-19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.64 MYR 2.60

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.56 MYR 2.30

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.45 MYR 18.23

-4.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$18.82 MYR 77.0

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$3.45 MYR 14.12

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.94 MYR 20.22

-41.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.77 MYR 3.16

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$12.46 MYR 51.0

331.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.25 MYR 5.12

-6.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.50 MYR 2.03

16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-52.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.64 MYR 2.64

126.56%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$42.5K MYR 173.9K

-50.54%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$35.3K MYR 144.5K

-25.18%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$61.6 MYR 252

3.41%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.48 MYR 38.80

35.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$26.31 MYR 108

-22.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$58.3 MYR 239

-33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$6.42 MYR 26.26

-38.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.34 MYR 21.86

23.22%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$177 MYR 724

343.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.0K MYR 45.0K

33.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$70.7 MYR 290

-22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$25.51 MYR 104

-3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$89.2 MYR 365

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$54.4 MYR 223

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$515 MYR 2,110

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$322 MYR 1,317

-10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$860 MYR 3,522

3.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$545 MYR 2,229

-4.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,025 MYR 8,287

-2.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,122 MYR 4,592

28.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,132 MYR 4,633

-46.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.12

35.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $515 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 88% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $214 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 4% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,460 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $177 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 13% 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 $932, than in Setia Alam at $973. 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 $932 versus $973 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.