Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Songkhla Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Songkhla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in George Town versus $825 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,300 in George Town versus $1,292 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,750 in George Town versus $1,759 in Songkhla.

Living in George Town is roughly 3% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 36% lower, Songkhla 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.21

$1.66 ฿55.8

80.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.37 MYR 87.4

$18.66 ฿628

14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.92

$3.44 ฿116

20.35%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MYR 10.59

$1.46 ฿49.13

77.40%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.92

$0.63 ฿21.12

12.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.34 ฿11.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 MYR 17.39

$2.18 ฿73.5

94.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 MYR 19.09

$3.36 ฿113

38.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.52 ฿51.1

24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.56

$0.89 ฿29.91

24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$2.13 ฿71.8

-21.60%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.44

$1.59 ฿53.4

29.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 MYR 69.4

$16.03 ฿540

5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.89

$2.60 ฿87.5

96.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.84

$10.66 ฿359

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.38

$2.43 ฿81.7

14.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.63

$1.74 ฿58.5

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.89

$1.20 ฿40.53

80.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.17

$1.24 ฿41.79

1.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$1.52 ฿51.2

-41.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.79

$1.74 ฿58.6

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.50 ฿50.4

-50.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.94 ฿31.57

-42.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 17.06

$4.37 ฿147

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 MYR 50.6

$13.31 ฿448

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.98

$1.59 ฿53.6

69.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.78

$4.67 ฿157

-27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.98

$0.88 ฿29.68

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 47.26

$60.9 ฿2,050

-81.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$1.26 ฿42.47

-8.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.77 ฿25.88

-40.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MYR 26.65

$9.13 ฿307

-28.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.30 ฿43.81

-63.85%

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

$33.3K MYR 136.0K

$28.2K ฿948.4K

18.02%

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

$25.4K MYR 104.1K

$37.3K ฿1.3M

-31.82%

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

$38.12 MYR 156

$89.9 ฿3,024

-57.58%

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

$9.47 MYR 38.75

$12.77 ฿430

-25.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.91 MYR 118

$18.84 ฿634

53.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.83 MYR 159

$49.59 ฿1,669

-21.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.79 MYR 15.50

$1.80 ฿60.5

110.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 MYR 16.26

$5.52 ฿186

-27.90%

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

$148 MYR 605

$126 ฿4,226

17.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,625 MYR 18.9K

$9,855 ฿331.6K

-53.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 MYR 212

$30.72 ฿1,034

68.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 MYR 118

$34.35 ฿1,156

-16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 250

$99.7 ฿3,355

-38.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 MYR 219

$21.65 ฿728

147.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,512

$278 ฿9,340

33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 MYR 1,032

$183 ฿6,152

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 MYR 2,921

$604 ฿20.3K

18.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 2,045

$428 ฿14.4K

16.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,191 ฿73.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ฿53.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,078 MYR 4,409

$793 ฿26.7K

36.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

9.33

-55.41%

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

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in George Town and $278 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $19.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $235 per month, with Songkhla cheaper across the board.

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

George Town vs Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Songkhla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% higher in George Town, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $370 in George Town versus $278 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Songkhla runs roughly 427% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $148 in George Town versus $126 in Songkhla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Songkhla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Songkhla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town and Songkhla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.