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: $942 in George Town versus $840 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in George Town versus $1,358 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,268 in George Town versus $1,875 in Songkhla.

Living in George Town is roughly 12% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 32% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 MYR 13.74

$1.78 ฿58.7

89.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.59 MYR 63.4

$22.16 ฿732

-29.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.93

$4.93 ฿163

-5.68%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.21

$1.59 ฿52.7

73.58%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$0.68 ฿22.59

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.23 ฿7.58

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 MYR 10.35

$1.86 ฿61.4

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.90

$4.90 ฿162

-10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.49

$1.63 ฿53.9

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.93 ฿30.72

19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.97

$1.77 ฿58.6

-3.39%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.06

$1.41 ฿46.53

58.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 MYR 53.5

$16.37 ฿541

-19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 MYR 18.23

$2.62 ฿86.5

70.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 MYR 36.35

$10.37 ฿343

-13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 MYR 9.51

$3.14 ฿104

-25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.80 ฿59.5

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.14

$2.16 ฿71.4

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.29 ฿42.51

-2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.64

$1.52 ฿50.1

-40.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.25

$1.74 ฿57.6

-54.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.13 ฿37.31

-32.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$0.97 ฿31.97

-41.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 MYR 19.06

$4.48 ฿148

4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 78.0

$13.77 ฿455

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.18

$1.58 ฿52.3

58.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MYR 15.46

$4.68 ฿155

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.95 ฿31.41

-46.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.15 MYR 45.38

$62.0 ฿2,049

-82.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.27 ฿41.86

-4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.78 ฿25.79

-35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 MYR 28.35

$3.96 ฿131

76.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.23 ฿40.54

-38.21%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.5K

$27.1K ฿893.9K

57.67%

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

$28.8K MYR 117.1K

$31.8K ฿1.1M

-9.62%

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

$37.55 MYR 153

$87.3 ฿2,883

-56.96%

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

$8.21 MYR 33.41

$12.89 ฿426

-36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.39 MYR 124

$18.38 ฿607

65.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 MYR 168

$48.44 ฿1,601

-14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.98 MYR 20.27

$14.70 ฿486

-66.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 MYR 18.94

$6.06 ฿200

-23.10%

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

$171 MYR 697

$566 ฿18.7K

-69.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,973 MYR 20.2K

$10.8K ฿358.5K

-54.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 MYR 220

$52.4 ฿1,731

3.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.74 MYR 145

$34.24 ฿1,131

4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 MYR 308

$68.8 ฿2,273

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 MYR 285

$77.3 ฿2,555

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,099

$246 ฿8,114

110.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,517

$177 ฿5,846

110.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 MYR 3,833

$603 ฿19.9K

56.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MYR 4,118

$426 ฿14.1K

137.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 ฿70.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,581 ฿52.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,087 MYR 4,421

$801 ฿26.5K

35.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

9.33

-54.56%

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

Last update for George Town: September 8, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in George Town and $246 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: $16.00 in George Town vs $22.00 in Songkhla. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $242, with Songkhla cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% 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: $516 in George Town versus $246 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 456% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $171 in George Town versus $566 in Songkhla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Songkhla versus $942 in George Town, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 12% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.