Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ulu Tiram

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Ulu Tiram: $936 and $938 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Ulu Tiram
Learn more

Ulu Tiram Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ulu Tiram

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ulu Tiram

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Ulu Tiram actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $938 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ulu Tiram $938

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,412 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ulu Tiram $1,412

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,885 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ulu Tiram $1,885

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.58 MYR 14.53

-37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$19.21 MYR 77.9

-1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.97 MYR 20.16

11.67%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.92 MYR 11.85

-42.81%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.85 MYR 3.43

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.41 MYR 1.67

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$4.50 MYR 18.22

-47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$6.40 MYR 25.93

-42.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.73 MYR 7.00

12.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.04 MYR 4.21

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.48 MYR 6.01

-10.14%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.80 MYR 7.30

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$9.62 MYR 39.01

71.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.23 MYR 17.14

-34.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.57 MYR 38.79

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.30 MYR 13.39

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-42.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.76 MYR 11.20

-42.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.64 MYR 6.65

-8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$1.45 MYR 5.90

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$1.67 MYR 6.76

-34.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.39 MYR 5.62

-48.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.56 MYR 2.28

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.30 MYR 17.41

-3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$17.28 MYR 70.1

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.96 MYR 11.99

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.11 MYR 12.60

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.80 MYR 3.24

8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$13.32 MYR 54.0

306.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.94 MYR 3.83

23.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.38 MYR 1.55

39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$8.77 MYR 35.57

-72.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.86 MYR 3.50

68.60%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$43.8K MYR 177.6K

-51.93%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$35.5K MYR 143.9K

-24.11%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$53.5 MYR 217

16.25%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$8.46 MYR 34.28

43.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$28.46 MYR 115

-29.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$37.15 MYR 151

0.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.93 MYR 28.08

-45.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.80 MYR 19.45

35.21%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$241 MYR 976

205.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$4,550 MYR 18.4K

224.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$55.0 MYR 223

-3.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$16.99 MYR 68.9

45.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$78.7 MYR 319

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$87.0 MYR 353

-17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$453 MYR 1,837

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$315 MYR 1,277

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$709 MYR 2,875

41.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$547 MYR 2,218

15.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,005 MYR 8,128

17.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,196 MYR 4,847

32.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$869 MYR 3,521

-32.10%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ulu Tiram

$315 33.6% 2% $6

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ulu Tiram

$241 25.7% 2.8% $6.6

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ulu Tiram

$107 11.4% 1.5% $1.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ulu Tiram

$90 9.6% 4.3% $4.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ulu Tiram

$119 12.7% 53.4% $41

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ulu Tiram

$19 2.1% 68.4% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ulu Tiram

$47 5% 7% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $453 in Ulu Tiram. 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 Ulu Tiram. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇾 Ulu Tiram

🕒 Local time

15:27 3:27 PM

16:27 4:27 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

75,350

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.05 MYR (1 MYR = 0.247 USD). 1 EUR = 4.52 MYR (1 MYR = 0.221 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ulu Tiram 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ulu Tiram

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,408 in Ulu Tiram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $453 in Ulu Tiram. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Ulu Tiram, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Ulu Tiram. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $938 in Ulu Tiram. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $938 in Ulu Tiram. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ulu Tiram makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.