Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Subang Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Subang Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $950 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,439 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,927 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Subang Jaya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Subang Jaya 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.73 MYR 15.15

-43.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$19.69 MYR 80.1

0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.73 MYR 19.26

22.41%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.91 MYR 11.83

-37.11%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.74 MYR 2.99

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.37 MYR 1.49

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$4.13 MYR 16.80

-43.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.58 MYR 18.61

-19.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.85 MYR 7.54

9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.10 MYR 4.47

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-17.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.15 MYR 8.76

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$13.43 MYR 54.6

18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.88 MYR 19.86

-37.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$8.99 MYR 36.58

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.86 MYR 11.65

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-43.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.41 MYR 9.81

-32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.42 MYR 5.77

7.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.08 MYR 4.38

14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.13 MYR 4.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.09 MYR 4.44

-32.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.57 MYR 2.32

-12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.49 MYR 18.25

-4.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$19.22 MYR 78.2

-6.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.04 MYR 16.45

-28.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.89 MYR 3.61

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$12.40 MYR 50.5

345.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.20 MYR 4.90

2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.39 MYR 1.58

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.06 MYR 20.59

-52.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.84 MYR 3.41

71.43%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$41.5K MYR 168.7K

-48.90%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$35.8K MYR 145.4K

-23.63%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$38.14 MYR 155

70.24%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.90 MYR 40.28

34.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$29.37 MYR 119

-29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$24.78 MYR 101

63.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$2.51 MYR 10.23

57.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.57 MYR 22.67

20.47%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$298 MYR 1,211

164.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$10.9K MYR 44.3K

38.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$59.9 MYR 244

-6.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$35.23 MYR 143

-29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$85.3 MYR 347

8.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$71.3 MYR 290

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$575 MYR 2,338

-15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$351 MYR 1,430

-18.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$703 MYR 2,858

29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$614 MYR 2,498

-13.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,410 MYR 9,806

-17.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,843 MYR 7,497

-21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$909 MYR 3,697

-33.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.2

32.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $575 in Subang Jaya. 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 50% higher in Subang Jaya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Subang Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $257 – 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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,426 in Subang Jaya. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 in Subang Jaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 346% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Subang Jaya at $950. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Subang Jaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $950 in Subang Jaya. 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, Subang Jaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.