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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Gombak vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Gombak vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,841 per month in Gombak vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Gombak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gombak 32% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 MYR 15.52

$2.08 ฿69.2

82.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.48 MYR 100

$19.61 ฿652

24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.50

$5.67 ฿189

-11.64%

Cappuccino

$3.08 MYR 12.62

$1.81 ฿60.0

70.17%

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

$0.94 MYR 3.86

$0.77 ฿25.55

22.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.35 ฿11.48

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.26

$2.21 ฿73.6

46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 MYR 23.91

$3.79 ฿126

54.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.60

$2.05 ฿68.1

-9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$1.51 ฿50.4

-27.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.09

$1.40 ฿46.51

6.43%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.50

$2.26 ฿75.1

-19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MYR 39.42

$16.19 ฿538

-40.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$2.90 ฿96.3

11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 39.10

$9.42 ฿313

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.15

$2.68 ฿89.1

29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$1.09 ฿36.23

73.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 MYR 11.31

$1.62 ฿53.8

70.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.12

$1.46 ฿48.55

19.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MYR 8.83

$1.28 ฿42.48

68.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 MYR 8.07

$1.06 ฿35.17

85.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MYR 6.09

$0.72 ฿23.85

106.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.31

$0.53 ฿17.49

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 MYR 18.31

$4.23 ฿141

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.16 MYR 78.4

$18.29 ฿608

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$1.63 ฿54.2

63.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 MYR 18.99

$2.90 ฿96.5

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.88 ฿29.20

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.11 MYR 49.56

$53.8 ฿1,788

-77.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.17 ฿38.99

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.58 ฿19.22

-32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 MYR 37.66

$2.39 ฿79.3

284.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$1.45 ฿48.22

-46.90%

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

$42.2K MYR 172.8K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

100.92%

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

$32.6K MYR 133.4K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

23.31%

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

$48.90 MYR 200

$63.7 ฿2,116

-23.17%

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

$8.16 MYR 33.38

$12.89 ฿429

-36.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.03 MYR 111

$20.52 ฿682

31.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 MYR 162

$39.02 ฿1,297

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.22 MYR 29.57

$3.92 ฿130

84.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 MYR 12.78

$6.58 ฿219

-52.58%

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

$283 MYR 1,158

$784 ฿26.1K

-63.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MYR 43.1K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-28.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 MYR 212

$55.1 ฿1,833

-6.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.41 MYR 124

$24.74 ฿823

22.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 MYR 316

$94.1 ฿3,130

-17.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 MYR 358

$74.0 ฿2,459

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MYR 1,733

$490 ฿16.3K

-13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,301

$288 ฿9,582

10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MYR 2,760

$891 ฿29.6K

-24.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 MYR 1,778

$521 ฿17.3K

-16.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 MYR 9,545

$1,974 ฿65.6K

18.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 MYR 4,527

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-23.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 MYR 2,227

$602 ฿20.0K

-9.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

5.57

-19.03%

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

Last update for Gombak: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Gombak versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 11% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Gombak versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $241 – 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

Gombak vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,399 per month in Gombak and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $24.00 in Gombak and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 344% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Gombak at $933. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gombak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $933 in Gombak. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gombak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.