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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $819 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,230 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,640 in Skudai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Skudai 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.56 MYR 14.55

-42.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$18.53 MYR 75.7

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.84 MYR 19.78

62.40%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.91 MYR 11.87

-30.24%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$0.72 MYR 2.94

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.37 MYR 1.51

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$3.48 MYR 14.23

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$5.11 MYR 20.87

-28.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.94 MYR 3.83

67.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$1.28 MYR 5.23

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$1.87 MYR 7.63

5.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$10.64 MYR 43.44

52.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.42 MYR 13.95

-10.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.98 MYR 32.59

35.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$2.75 MYR 11.24

0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$1.52 MYR 6.21

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.56 MYR 10.44

-33.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.20 MYR 4.92

32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$1.15 MYR 4.68

20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$1.39 MYR 5.68

-16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$0.89 MYR 3.63

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.56 MYR 2.29

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.33 MYR 17.66

7.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$13.84 MYR 56.5

28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$2.80 MYR 11.43

-36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.98 MYR 12.16

12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.74 MYR 3.01

22.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$11.58 MYR 47.30

60.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$1.03 MYR 4.20

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$1.03 MYR 4.20

30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$9.16 MYR 37.39

-11.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$0.50 MYR 2.03

146.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-31.13%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$27.4K MYR 111.7K

-20.24%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$41.45 MYR 169

72.09%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$8.86 MYR 36.20

58.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$23.05 MYR 94.1

-22.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$37.46 MYR 153

8.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.05 MYR 24.70

13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.08 MYR 20.73

12.60%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$188 MYR 768

63.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$7,044 MYR 28.8K

108.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$48.37 MYR 198

15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$18.89 MYR 77.2

37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$57.9 MYR 236

46.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$46.51 MYR 190

52.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$392 MYR 1,601

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$272 MYR 1,113

-11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$638 MYR 2,603

25.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$468 MYR 1,912

8.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$1,900 MYR 7,759

0.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$1,065 MYR 4,349

37.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

22.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Skudai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $392 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Skudai. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $217 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 4% more than Skudai, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,229 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $188 in Skudai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $819 in Skudai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $819 versus $852 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.