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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $873 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,333 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,793 in Shah Alam, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Shah Alam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Shah Alam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Shah Alam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.97 MYR 12.16

-34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.70 MYR 76.5

-1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.13 MYR 16.90

81.11%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.73 MYR 11.15

-26.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.72 MYR 2.93

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.36 MYR 1.49

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$3.59 MYR 14.70

-40.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.31 MYR 17.62

-16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.80 MYR 7.38

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.99 MYR 4.06

58.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.49 MYR 6.10

-20.13%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.03 MYR 8.29

-4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.35 MYR 58.7

12.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.07 MYR 20.73

-41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.92 MYR 32.41

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.80 MYR 11.45

-3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.50 MYR 6.13

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.55 MYR 10.43

-33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.24 MYR 5.09

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.13 MYR 4.61

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.34 MYR 5.49

-10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.91 MYR 3.73

-26.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.52 MYR 2.13

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.13 MYR 16.88

12.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$18.60 MYR 76.1

-5.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.65 MYR 10.86

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$4.00 MYR 16.36

-17.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.74 MYR 3.03

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$15.20 MYR 62.2

27.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.95 MYR 3.90

43.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.54 MYR 2.20

148.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.21 MYR 29.47

13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.49 MYR 2.01

148.98%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.6K MYR 137.6K

-36.51%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$27.4K MYR 112.2K

-17.84%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$41.19 MYR 168

71.57%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$10.07 MYR 41.20

39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$30.14 MYR 123

-41.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$38.85 MYR 159

8.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.82 MYR 23.81

18.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.37 MYR 26.04

-7.06%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$210 MYR 861

46.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,234 MYR 25.5K

138.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$50.0 MYR 205

11.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.92 MYR 143

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$61.0 MYR 249

36.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$49.48 MYR 202

42.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$372 MYR 1,521

16.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$266 MYR 1,087

-10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$586 MYR 2,398

40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$482 MYR 1,970

6.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,505 MYR 6,155

27.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,208 MYR 4,942

21.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,252 MYR 5,120

-53.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

20.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $372 in Shah 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 116% higher in Shah 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Shah Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 Shah Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shah Alam costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,310 in Shah 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $210 in Shah Alam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Shah Alam, 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $873 in Shah Alam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $873 in Shah 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, Shah Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.