Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kangar, Perlis and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $875 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Kangar, Perlis vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kangar, Perlis costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kangar, Perlis and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kangar, Perlis 35% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.68

$1.96 ฿63.6

76.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.11 MYR 75.5

$18.81 ฿611

1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.70

$7.92 ฿258

-40.28%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.13

$1.91 ฿62.2

47.64%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.84 ฿27.25

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$0.35 ฿11.44

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 13.62

$2.21 ฿71.7

56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$3.80 ฿124

28.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.18

$1.64 ฿53.2

10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.62 ฿52.8

-38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 4.96

$1.18 ฿38.40

6.78%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.32

$2.01 ฿65.4

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.6

$15.89 ฿517

-5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$3.01 ฿98.0

44.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 MYR 37.35

$10.77 ฿350

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MYR 11.21

$2.61 ฿85.0

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.22 ฿39.65

20.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 9.93

$1.70 ฿55.4

47.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$1.58 ฿51.2

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.68

$1.32 ฿42.89

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.09

$1.17 ฿38.01

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$0.67 ฿21.85

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$0.56 ฿18.21

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.13

$4.53 ฿147

-4.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 MYR 71.0

$18.20 ฿592

-1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.16

$1.83 ฿59.6

54.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.72

$3.23 ฿105

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.89 ฿28.83

-17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 MYR 45.75

$19.38 ฿630

-40.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.35 ฿43.95

-14.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.35 ฿43.79

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$8.25 ฿268

-27.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.96

$1.27 ฿41.40

-60.63%

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

$35.4K MYR 139.7K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

67.17%

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

$31.2K MYR 123.3K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

38.82%

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

$43.03 MYR 170

$70.2 ฿2,281

-38.66%

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

$9.19 MYR 36.31

$13.77 ฿448

-33.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 MYR 114

$17.60 ฿572

63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 147

$41.57 ฿1,352

-10.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.00

$6.60 ฿215

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.32

$5.78 ฿188

-15.40%

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

$186 MYR 734

$306 ฿9,953

-39.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 MYR 27.7K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-52.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 MYR 237

$54.4 ฿1,768

10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 MYR 109

$26.14 ฿850

5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 290

$84.5 ฿2,748

-13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 MYR 200

$69.4 ฿2,257

-27.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,533

$424 ฿13.8K

-8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,079

$238 ฿7,743

14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,542

$825 ฿26.8K

-21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MYR 1,825

$515 ฿16.7K

-10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 MYR 6,621

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-18.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 MYR 3,751

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-37.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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 Kangar, Perlis: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kangar, Perlis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kangar, Perlis versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Kangar, Perlis vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kangar, Perlis vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kangar, Perlis costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,312 per month in Kangar, Perlis 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 $186 per month in Kangar, Perlis and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Kangar, Perlis, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $875 in Kangar, Perlis 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 $875 in Kangar, Perlis. 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, Kangar, Perlis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.