Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $966 per month in Johor Bahru vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,791 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Johor Bahru costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Johor Bahru and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Johor Bahru 28% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$1.96 ฿64.0

80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 MYR 73.8

$18.81 ฿615

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.82

$7.92 ฿259

-39.90%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 11.90

$1.91 ฿62.6

57.59%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$0.84 ฿27.41

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.35 ฿11.51

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.85

$2.21 ฿72.1

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 26.71

$3.80 ฿124

77.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.64 ฿53.5

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$1.62 ฿53.1

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.18 ฿38.62

5.08%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$2.01 ฿65.8

-8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 42.16

$15.89 ฿520

-32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$3.01 ฿98.5

17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 MYR 32.60

$10.77 ฿352

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$2.61 ฿85.5

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.22 ฿39.88

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.16

$1.70 ฿55.7

51.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.93

$1.58 ฿51.5

-20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$1.32 ฿43.14

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$1.17 ฿38.23

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$0.67 ฿21.98

40.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.56 ฿18.32

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$4.53 ฿148

-7.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 57.3

$18.20 ฿595

-20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$1.83 ฿60.0

46.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.53

$3.23 ฿106

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.89 ฿29.00

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 46.65

$19.38 ฿634

-39.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$1.35 ฿44.20

-28.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$1.35 ฿44.05

-24.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$8.25 ฿270

10.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.27 ฿41.64

-62.99%

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

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

64.46%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

25.03%

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

$40.87 MYR 161

$70.2 ฿2,294

-41.74%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.44

$13.77 ฿450

-32.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 MYR 121

$17.60 ฿575

74.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 MYR 139

$41.57 ฿1,360

-15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 22.99

$6.60 ฿216

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.35

$5.78 ฿189

-15.22%

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

$191 MYR 755

$306 ฿10.0K

-37.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-53.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 MYR 194

$54.4 ฿1,778

-9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 MYR 75.6

$26.14 ฿855

-26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 MYR 214

$84.5 ฿2,764

-35.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.65 MYR 157

$69.4 ฿2,270

-42.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$424 ฿13.9K

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MYR 1,565

$238 ฿7,788

66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 MYR 3,331

$825 ฿27.0K

2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,366

$515 ฿16.8K

16.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$2,049 ฿67.0K

1.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,190 MYR 4,700

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-21.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MYR 4,562

$635 ฿20.8K

81.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

-18.60%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Johor Bahru versus $424 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 82% higher in Johor Bahru, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Johor Bahru versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $243 – making Johor Bahru 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

Johor Bahru vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,449 per month in Johor Bahru and $1,278 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.

Kindergarten costs $191 per month in Johor Bahru and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Johor Bahru – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $966 in Johor Bahru and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $966 in Johor Bahru. 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, Johor Bahru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.