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 $658 per month in Kota Bharu vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,583 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Bharu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 MYR 7.08

$1.96 ฿65.9

-11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.40 MYR 87.5

$18.35 ฿617

16.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.92

$7.48 ฿252

-44.65%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MYR 9.48

$2.02 ฿67.8

14.85%

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

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.85 ฿28.52

-47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 1.01

$0.36 ฿11.97

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 MYR 17.11

$2.14 ฿71.9

95.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MYR 17.49

$3.59 ฿121

19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MYR 6.07

$1.65 ฿55.5

-10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.57 ฿52.7

-51.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$1.19 ฿40.05

-29.41%

Eggs

$1.53 MYR 6.25

$1.94 ฿65.1

-21.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 MYR 62.5

$16.19 ฿545

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.78

$2.99 ฿101

-3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.15 MYR 25.17

$10.94 ฿368

-43.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.85

$2.71 ฿91.2

-47.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.69 ฿56.8

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.60 ฿54.0

-43.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$1.38 ฿46.56

-44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.73

$1.20 ฿40.47

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.92

$0.67 ฿22.51

43.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.67

$0.56 ฿18.74

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$4.64 ฿156

-36.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.17 MYR 78.4

$17.62 ฿593

8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$1.86 ฿62.6

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MYR 14.02

$3.30 ฿111

3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.88 ฿29.70

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 48.28

$19.34 ฿651

-38.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$1.36 ฿45.92

-45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.34 ฿45.00

-62.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 MYR 14.17

$8.21 ฿276

-57.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.22 ฿41.20

-59.02%

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

$30.1K MYR 123.3K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

41.16%

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

$27.2K MYR 111.1K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

20.52%

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

$38.77 MYR 159

$70.7 ฿2,378

-45.14%

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

$8.31 MYR 33.98

$14.04 ฿472

-40.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.56 MYR 109

$17.49 ฿589

51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.55 MYR 154

$42.15 ฿1,418

-10.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 24.20

$6.88 ฿231

-13.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MYR 17.74

$5.92 ฿199

-26.69%

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

$117 MYR 477

$309 ฿10.4K

-62.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,238 MYR 25.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-58.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 MYR 217

$55.8 ฿1,876

-5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 MYR 78.0

$26.11 ฿879

-26.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$83.0 ฿2,793

-24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 213

$70.5 ฿2,371

-26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 MYR 1,062

$432 ฿14.5K

-39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 MYR 584

$239 ฿8,040

-40.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 MYR 3,438

$822 ฿27.7K

2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,918

$512 ฿17.2K

-8.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 MYR 1,183

$579 ฿19.5K

-50.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Kota Bharu versus $432 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 100% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Kota Bharu vs $243 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 31% 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 $987 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,292 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 $117 per month in Kota Bharu and $309 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 $658 in Kota Bharu and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Bharu costs $658 versus $861 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.