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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $906 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,322 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,738 in Skudai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Skudai 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$3.62 MYR 14.83

-42.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$21.46 MYR 87.8

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.98 MYR 20.37

13.86%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.00 MYR 12.27

-39.67%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.77 MYR 3.15

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.45 MYR 1.82

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$3.23 MYR 13.20

-31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.94 MYR 24.33

-36.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.74 MYR 7.14

17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.04 MYR 4.25

45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.50 MYR 6.14

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.75 MYR 7.15

29.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$9.92 MYR 40.62

63.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.35 MYR 13.71

-13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.61 MYR 39.35

-1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.45 MYR 14.11

-22.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.68 MYR 6.86

-35.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-40.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.69 MYR 6.92

-13.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.42 MYR 5.82

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.68 MYR 6.89

-36.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.31 MYR 5.37

-45.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.54 MYR 2.22

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.16 MYR 17.02

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$14.40 MYR 59.0

27.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.75 MYR 11.25

-40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.11 MYR 12.72

-6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.78 MYR 3.21

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$12.11 MYR 49.57

344.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.26 MYR 5.18

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.38 MYR 1.56

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$9.19 MYR 37.61

-73.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.77 MYR 3.14

88.31%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$41.1K MYR 168.4K

-48.92%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$32.1K MYR 131.6K

-17.79%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$49.87 MYR 204

27.63%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.45 MYR 34.58

52.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$27.27 MYR 112

-24.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$45.02 MYR 184

-13.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$7.57 MYR 30.98

-48.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.81 MYR 19.69

36.80%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$162 MYR 664

383.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$4,398 MYR 18.0K

233.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$51.3 MYR 210

7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$16.77 MYR 68.6

47.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$78.7 MYR 322

19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$40.23 MYR 165

83.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$371 MYR 1,518

32.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$307 MYR 1,258

-6.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$741 MYR 3,031

20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$444 MYR 1,817

17.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$2,214 MYR 9,062

-10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,218 MYR 4,986

18.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.06

37.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Skudai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $371 in Skudai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Skudai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Skudai – so Skudai 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 Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Skudai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,359 in Skudai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skudai, 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 $162 in Skudai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skudai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Skudai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $906 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Skudai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.