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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $865 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,320 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,776 in Tawau, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.63 MYR 14.72

-45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.66 MYR 75.7

0.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.06 MYR 16.46

90.89%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.23 MYR 9.03

-13.90%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.77 MYR 3.13

2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 MYR 1.62

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.29 MYR 9.29

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.39 MYR 13.75

7.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.60 MYR 6.49

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.31 MYR 5.30

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.68 MYR 6.83

-29.17%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.04 MYR 8.29

-1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$14.84 MYR 60.2

7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.26 MYR 17.27

-28.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.70 MYR 39.33

11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.99 MYR 12.13

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.48 MYR 5.99

-20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.62 MYR 10.62

-37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.39 MYR 5.64

9.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.24 MYR 5.05

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.55 MYR 2.23

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.20 MYR 17.02

9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$19.12 MYR 77.5

-13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.75 MYR 11.17

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.91 MYR 11.82

9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.68 MYR 2.76

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.97 MYR 48.52

56.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.16 MYR 4.70

17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.04 MYR 4.21

28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.04 MYR 24.50

29.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.49 MYR 1.99

151.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

-39.84%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

-28.06%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$43.00 MYR 174

64.05%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.93 MYR 36.21

53.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$29.39 MYR 119

-40.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.21 MYR 147

14.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.73 MYR 23.25

21.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.90 MYR 11.74

98.97%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$187 MYR 757

64.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

107.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$59.7 MYR 242

-6.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.46 MYR 111

-4.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$73.5 MYR 298

16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$50.5 MYR 205

43.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$391 MYR 1,584

9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$268 MYR 1,087

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$643 MYR 2,609

27.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$468 MYR 1,897

9.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,168 MYR 8,790

-8.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$985 MYR 3,993

50.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$421 MYR 1,708

46.88%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $391 in Tawau. 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 47% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Tawau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $255 – 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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,298 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Tawau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Tawau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $865 in Tawau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tawau costs $865 versus $869 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 Tawau. 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.