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 $831 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,681 in Skudai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.50 MYR 13.83

-44.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$18.68 MYR 73.8

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.72 MYR 18.65

67.80%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.91 MYR 11.50

-34.36%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.71 MYR 2.82

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.39 MYR 1.56

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.65 MYR 14.40

-39.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$5.03 MYR 19.89

-24.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.80 MYR 7.11

-8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.93 MYR 3.66

74.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.31 MYR 5.16

-9.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.88 MYR 7.43

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.74 MYR 42.43

47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.41 MYR 13.47

-11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.11 MYR 32.02

32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.73 MYR 10.77

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.48 MYR 5.83

-17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.49 MYR 9.83

-31.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.27 MYR 5.00

24.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.14 MYR 4.50

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.35 MYR 5.32

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.90 MYR 3.54

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.55 MYR 2.19

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.17 MYR 16.47

8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.26 MYR 56.3

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.76 MYR 10.92

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.86 MYR 11.31

12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.73 MYR 2.88

21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.97 MYR 47.28

61.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.01 MYR 4.00

33.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.03 MYR 4.07

31.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$9.18 MYR 36.27

-10.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.50 MYR 1.97

154.00%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.0K MYR 126.6K

-33.98%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.8K MYR 109.8K

-19.09%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$41.28 MYR 163

69.94%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.99 MYR 35.49

53.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$22.61 MYR 89.3

-22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$37.15 MYR 147

11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.94 MYR 23.46

11.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.08 MYR 20.06

13.78%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$187 MYR 738

63.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,822 MYR 26.9K

117.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.04 MYR 194

10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$18.81 MYR 74.3

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$58.2 MYR 230

45.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$46.23 MYR 183

50.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$381 MYR 1,503

11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$272 MYR 1,076

-12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$652 MYR 2,575

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$475 MYR 1,877

8.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,980 MYR 7,819

3.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$791 MYR 3,124

92.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Skudai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $381 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 – $243 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 3% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,246 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $187 in Skudai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $831 in Skudai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $831 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.