Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $665 per month in Kota Bharu vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,131 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,597 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Bharu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 50% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 MYR 6.93

$1.94 ฿63.5

-9.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.48 MYR 85.2

$18.64 ฿609

15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.38

$7.82 ฿255

-47.19%

Cappuccino

$2.41 MYR 9.55

$1.95 ฿63.8

23.59%

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

$0.49 MYR 1.92

$0.85 ฿27.77

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.98

$0.35 ฿11.58

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 MYR 16.68

$2.13 ฿69.6

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 MYR 16.60

$3.73 ฿122

12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MYR 5.97

$1.71 ฿56.0

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 MYR 3.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

-50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 MYR 3.10

$1.14 ฿37.15

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.48 MYR 5.85

$1.93 ฿63.1

-23.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.18 MYR 60.2

$16.21 ฿530

-6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$3.12 ฿102

-5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 MYR 24.11

$10.90 ฿356

-44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.66

$2.75 ฿90.0

-48.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.52

$1.21 ฿39.52

14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.52

$1.62 ฿53.0

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.33

$1.59 ฿51.8

-47.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.13

$1.40 ฿45.70

-43.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$1.17 ฿38.17

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 MYR 3.87

$0.66 ฿21.60

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.60

$0.53 ฿17.22

-24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MYR 11.64

$4.69 ฿153

-37.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.03 MYR 79.4

$18.66 ฿609

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 MYR 5.49

$1.80 ฿58.8

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 13.97

$3.23 ฿106

8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.92

$0.90 ฿29.26

-17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 46.61

$19.21 ฿628

-38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$1.41 ฿45.91

-51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.12

$1.29 ฿42.12

-58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 MYR 13.64

$7.84 ฿256

-56.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.86

$1.27 ฿41.58

-62.99%

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

$31.1K MYR 123.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

45.94%

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

$27.2K MYR 107.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

22.24%

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

$38.83 MYR 154

$69.1 ฿2,256

-43.78%

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

$8.15 MYR 32.30

$14.08 ฿460

-42.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.43 MYR 105

$18.00 ฿588

46.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 MYR 146

$41.06 ฿1,341

-10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 MYR 23.40

$6.96 ฿227

-15.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 MYR 17.26

$5.92 ฿193

-26.52%

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

$118 MYR 467

$299 ฿9,766

-60.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,109 MYR 24.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-59.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 MYR 211

$54.7 ฿1,787

-2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.94 MYR 75.1

$26.77 ฿874

-29.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 248

$85.0 ฿2,776

-26.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 MYR 205

$70.6 ฿2,306

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,019

$428 ฿14.0K

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 MYR 562

$237 ฿7,752

-40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 MYR 3,405

$801 ฿26.2K

7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,843

$515 ฿16.8K

-9.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 MYR 1,189

$617 ฿20.2K

-51.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

-16.80%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Kota Bharu versus $428 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 106% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $21.00 in Kota Bharu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Kota Bharu vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Kota Bharu 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

Kota Bharu vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Kota Bharu, 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 $998 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Kota Bharu and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $665 in Kota Bharu and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $665 versus $866 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 Kota Bharu. 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.