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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $777 per month in Kepong vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,231 per month in Kepong vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,685 per month in Kepong vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kepong is about 9% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kepong and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kepong 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$1.96 ฿63.6

77.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.55 MYR 73.3

$18.81 ฿611

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.14

$7.92 ฿258

-38.89%

Cappuccino

$2.72 MYR 10.73

$1.91 ฿62.2

42.41%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.19

$0.84 ฿27.25

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.57

$0.35 ฿11.44

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 13.83

$2.21 ฿71.7

58.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.57

$3.80 ฿124

30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.44

$1.64 ฿53.2

14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.62 ฿52.8

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.18 ฿38.40

5.08%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 8.81

$2.01 ฿65.4

10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 MYR 62.4

$15.89 ฿517

-0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 MYR 19.85

$3.01 ฿98.0

67.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 42.11

$10.77 ฿350

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.81

$2.61 ฿85.0

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.79

$1.22 ฿39.65

40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.10

$1.70 ฿55.4

50.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.58 ฿51.2

-19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.61

$1.32 ฿42.89

7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.45

$1.17 ฿38.01

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.55

$0.67 ฿21.85

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.36

$0.56 ฿18.21

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.21

$4.53 ฿147

-3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 MYR 56.5

$18.20 ฿592

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.84

$1.83 ฿59.6

49.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$3.23 ฿105

-6.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.93

$0.89 ฿28.83

-16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.29

$19.38 ฿630

-38.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$1.35 ฿43.95

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.35 ฿43.79

-22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 MYR 36.79

$8.25 ฿268

12.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.27 ฿41.40

-61.42%

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

$31.0K MYR 122.4K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

46.52%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

23.19%

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

$45.13 MYR 178

$70.2 ฿2,281

-35.67%

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

$9.07 MYR 35.83

$13.77 ฿448

-34.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.26 MYR 91.9

$17.60 ฿572

32.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 MYR 128

$41.57 ฿1,352

-22.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 23.59

$6.60 ฿215

-9.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MYR 19.05

$5.78 ฿188

-16.61%

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

$215 MYR 848

$306 ฿9,953

-29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,966 MYR 27.5K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-53.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 MYR 198

$54.4 ฿1,768

-7.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 MYR 93.3

$26.14 ฿850

-9.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 MYR 274

$84.5 ฿2,748

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.32 MYR 191

$69.4 ฿2,257

-30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 MYR 976

$424 ฿13.8K

-41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MYR 685

$238 ฿7,743

-27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MYR 2,396

$825 ฿26.8K

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MYR 1,646

$515 ฿16.7K

-19.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,788 MYR 7,063

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-12.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$882 MYR 3,482

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-42.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$674 MYR 2,660

$635 ฿20.6K

6.03%

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 Kepong: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Kepong 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 6% 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 $19.00 in Kepong versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Kepong 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Kepong, 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 $1,166 per month in Kepong 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 Kepong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $215 per month in Kepong 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 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $777 in Kepong and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kepong costs $777 versus $852 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.