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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $957 per month in Kemaman vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,416 per month in Kemaman vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,876 per month in Kemaman vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kemaman costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kemaman and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kemaman 29% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.52 MYR 10.20

$1.98 ฿64.3

27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 MYR 57.2

$18.80 ฿612

-25.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 MYR 14.99

$7.75 ฿252

-52.26%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MYR 9.30

$1.92 ฿62.5

19.27%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.79 ฿25.79

-37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$0.36 ฿11.62

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.40

$2.21 ฿72.1

94.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 MYR 22.16

$3.66 ฿119

49.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$1.65 ฿53.8

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.63 ฿53.2

-38.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.97

$1.19 ฿38.86

-17.65%

Eggs

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$2.00 ฿65.1

-42.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 MYR 57.4

$15.98 ฿520

-11.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 MYR 15.07

$3.03 ฿98.5

22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 MYR 39.36

$10.86 ฿354

-10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 MYR 16.11

$2.76 ฿90.0

43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.10

$1.18 ฿38.42

48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.36

$1.64 ฿53.5

100.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.23

$1.52 ฿49.51

65.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.38 ฿45.10

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.19 ฿38.84

-15.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MYR 4.34

$0.70 ฿22.86

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$0.56 ฿18.13

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.58

$4.58 ฿149

-5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.19 MYR 81.9

$16.56 ฿539

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.77

$1.83 ฿59.5

139.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 MYR 22.06

$3.20 ฿104

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.88 ฿28.56

-15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 MYR 47.45

$18.72 ฿610

-37.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.36 ฿44.16

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.45

$1.34 ฿43.65

-17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 MYR 17.15

$7.84 ฿256

-46.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.23 ฿39.92

-60.16%

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

$44.0K MYR 178.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

103.34%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

41.17%

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

$74.5 MYR 302

$70.5 ฿2,298

5.63%

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

$9.68 MYR 39.23

$13.68 ฿445

-29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.84 MYR 113

$17.45 ฿568

59.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 151

$41.33 ฿1,346

-9.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.86 MYR 23.78

$6.96 ฿227

-15.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 MYR 23.23

$5.77 ฿188

-0.69%

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

$117 MYR 476

$307 ฿10.0K

-61.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,262 MYR 17.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 MYR 440

$55.8 ฿1,817

94.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.79 MYR 113

$26.21 ฿854

6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MYR 305

$85.8 ฿2,793

-12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 MYR 318

$72.2 ฿2,353

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MYR 1,578

$430 ฿14.0K

-9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,073

$239 ฿7,774

10.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,656

$817 ฿26.6K

-19.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,894

$511 ฿16.6K

-8.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,157

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-11.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$896 MYR 3,631

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-39.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

-20.80%

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

Last update for Kemaman: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Kemaman versus $430 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 $14.00 in Kemaman versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Kemaman vs $241 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

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

Kemaman costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,435 per month in Kemaman and $1,303 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 $117 per month in Kemaman and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Kemaman, 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 $957 in Kemaman and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $957 in Kemaman. 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, Kemaman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.