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: $826 in George Town versus $812 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,309 in George Town versus $1,277 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,792 in George Town versus $1,743 in Songkhla.

Living in George Town is roughly 2% more expensive than Songkhla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 38% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 MYR 11.94

$1.65 ฿53.8

82.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.01 MYR 83.3

$18.35 ฿599

14.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$3.36 ฿110

29.76%

Cappuccino

$2.52 MYR 10.01

$1.46 ฿47.69

72.60%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.02

$0.68 ฿22.36

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$0.35 ฿11.28

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 MYR 17.17

$2.20 ฿71.8

96.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MYR 18.75

$3.42 ฿112

38.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.31

$1.58 ฿51.7

16.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.31

$0.89 ฿28.99

22.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.43

$2.12 ฿69.2

-23.58%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.40

$1.63 ฿53.2

30.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 MYR 68.3

$16.33 ฿533

5.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.38

$2.70 ฿88.1

81.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 42.86

$10.46 ฿342

3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MYR 11.62

$2.52 ฿82.3

16.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.63

$1.81 ฿59.2

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MYR 8.81

$1.25 ฿40.78

77.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.06

$1.30 ฿42.41

-1.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MYR 3.24

$1.57 ฿51.3

-47.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.83

$1.77 ฿57.8

-31.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$1.51 ฿49.16

-50.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$0.91 ฿29.76

-40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MYR 16.02

$4.41 ฿144

-8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 MYR 51.0

$13.62 ฿445

-5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.52

$1.60 ฿52.4

65.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.95

$4.69 ฿153

-24.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.88 ฿28.61

-47.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.91

$61.8 ฿2,017

-80.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.27 ฿41.36

-5.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.74

$0.75 ฿24.47

-41.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MYR 26.25

$9.27 ฿303

-28.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.96

$1.35 ฿43.97

-63.70%

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

$34.0K MYR 134.7K

$28.2K ฿920.6K

20.48%

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

$24.9K MYR 98.9K

$36.5K ฿1.2M

-31.64%

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

$38.38 MYR 152

$89.4 ฿2,918

-57.05%

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

$9.53 MYR 37.79

$12.76 ฿417

-25.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 MYR 118

$18.48 ฿604

60.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.42 MYR 156

$49.83 ฿1,627

-20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 MYR 14.68

$1.81 ฿59.0

104.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 MYR 15.85

$5.43 ฿177

-26.34%

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

$150 MYR 597

$123 ฿4,030

21.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,504 MYR 17.9K

$9,497 ฿310.2K

-52.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 MYR 204

$31.34 ฿1,024

64.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.82 MYR 114

$34.98 ฿1,142

-17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.2 MYR 239

$99.4 ฿3,246

-39.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 208

$21.75 ฿711

140.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,473

$277 ฿9,032

34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MYR 1,008

$180 ฿5,889

41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 MYR 2,876

$594 ฿19.4K

22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 1,948

$426 ฿13.9K

15.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,766 ฿57.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ฿43.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,097 MYR 4,350

$829 ฿27.1K

32.29%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $277 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 32% 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 $18.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $238 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

George Town pays 32% more on average, 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: $371 in George Town versus $277 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 422% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $123 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 2% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.