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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Kepong vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Kepong vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,761 per month in Kepong vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kepong is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kepong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 34% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.06

$2.11 ฿69.1

76.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 MYR 100

$19.75 ฿648

25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.25

$5.85 ฿192

-14.36%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.08

$1.76 ฿57.8

69.89%

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

$0.92 MYR 3.70

$0.74 ฿24.37

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.67

$0.33 ฿10.90

24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 MYR 13.78

$2.47 ฿81.0

38.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 MYR 24.05

$3.88 ฿127

53.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.06

$1.90 ฿62.4

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$1.67 ฿54.7

-35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.80

$1.35 ฿44.24

6.67%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.56

$2.14 ฿70.2

-12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 38.78

$15.89 ฿521

-39.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$2.83 ฿92.9

18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.47 MYR 38.27

$10.53 ฿345

-10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 MYR 11.36

$2.38 ฿78.2

18.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.07 ฿35.01

64.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.27

$1.52 ฿49.79

83.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.75

$1.50 ฿49.30

11.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.73

$1.28 ฿41.96

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.73

$1.10 ฿36.17

50.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.37

$0.69 ฿22.54

92.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.08

$0.49 ฿16.18

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.53

$4.27 ฿140

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 MYR 58.1

$16.78 ฿550

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.84

$1.66 ฿54.4

61.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.07

$2.81 ฿92.3

6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.81

$0.90 ฿29.44

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.35 MYR 49.89

$54.9 ฿1,801

-77.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.92

$1.20 ฿39.24

1.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.54 ฿17.78

-27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.55 MYR 38.60

$2.37 ฿77.9

302.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.16

$1.43 ฿46.88

-45.45%

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

$41.7K MYR 168.4K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

97.76%

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

$32.5K MYR 131.1K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

19.63%

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

$40.09 MYR 162

$64.7 ฿2,124

-38.08%

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

$8.06 MYR 32.55

$13.19 ฿433

-38.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 108

$19.44 ฿638

37.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 MYR 157

$39.45 ฿1,294

-1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.71 MYR 31.13

$3.77 ฿124

104.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 19.99

$6.62 ฿217

-25.23%

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

$165 MYR 667

$805 ฿26.4K

-79.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,435 MYR 17.9K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-70.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 MYR 244

$54.8 ฿1,796

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.68 MYR 99.7

$25.43 ฿834

-2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MYR 324

$91.9 ฿3,015

-12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.96 MYR 202

$74.7 ฿2,449

-33.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,707

$467 ฿15.3K

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 MYR 1,412

$282 ฿9,251

23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 MYR 2,895

$891 ฿29.2K

-19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 MYR 1,961

$521 ฿17.1K

-6.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,017 MYR 8,148

$1,985 ฿65.1K

1.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 MYR 4,534

$1,462 ฿48.0K

-23.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 MYR 2,701

$592 ฿19.4K

12.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.57

-27.11%

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

Last update for Kepong: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Kepong versus $467 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 13% higher in Kepong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kepong versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Kepong vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Kepong 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kepong, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,363 per month in Kepong and $1,380 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $165 per month in Kepong and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Kepong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kepong costs $909 versus $920 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kepong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.