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 $692 per month in Kota Bharu vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,452 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kota Bharu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kota Bharu 50% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 MYR 9.08

$2.08 ฿69.2

8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.12 MYR 61.2

$19.64 ฿651

-23.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MYR 20.40

$5.65 ฿188

-10.62%

Cappuccino

$2.16 MYR 8.74

$1.81 ฿59.9

19.34%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.93

$0.71 ฿23.66

-32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.14

$0.32 ฿10.48

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 MYR 9.97

$2.24 ฿74.2

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MYR 17.80

$3.63 ฿121

21.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MYR 6.66

$1.96 ฿65.0

-15.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MYR 3.43

$1.50 ฿49.83

-43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.27

$1.34 ฿44.32

-39.55%

Eggs

$1.62 MYR 6.55

$2.26 ฿75.1

-28.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.50 MYR 62.7

$16.26 ฿539

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.46

$2.95 ฿98.0

4.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 MYR 26.96

$9.94 ฿330

-32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 MYR 9.97

$2.57 ฿85.3

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.93

$1.06 ฿35.04

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 MYR 9.61

$1.61 ฿53.5

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MYR 4.46

$1.52 ฿50.4

-27.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MYR 3.86

$1.27 ฿42.14

-25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MYR 3.29

$1.07 ฿35.37

-24.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.88

$0.72 ฿23.89

-1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.51 ฿16.87

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MYR 14.32

$4.19 ฿139

-15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.52 MYR 87.0

$17.87 ฿593

20.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 MYR 9.82

$1.69 ฿56.2

43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 MYR 15.28

$2.84 ฿94.1

33.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.94

$0.93 ฿30.70

-21.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 MYR 49.63

$53.9 ฿1,787

-77.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.23 ฿40.95

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$0.58 ฿19.13

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 MYR 15.17

$2.42 ฿80.4

54.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.01

$1.41 ฿46.84

-64.54%

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

$32.0K MYR 129.6K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

49.46%

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

$28.2K MYR 113.9K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

3.05%

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

$50.7 MYR 205

$63.7 ฿2,112

-20.34%

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

$8.10 MYR 32.76

$12.85 ฿426

-36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 MYR 115

$20.22 ฿671

40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 MYR 203

$38.74 ฿1,285

29.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 MYR 18.29

$6.74 ฿223

-32.94%

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

$126 MYR 508

$778 ฿25.8K

-83.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,896 MYR 19.8K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-66.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 MYR 222

$54.3 ฿1,801

0.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.01 MYR 80.9

$25.45 ฿844

-21.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 MYR 306

$94.3 ฿3,129

-19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 MYR 344

$73.4 ฿2,436

15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 MYR 985

$490 ฿16.2K

-50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 MYR 491

$289 ฿9,596

-58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 MYR 2,807

$894 ฿29.6K

-22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 MYR 914

$517 ฿17.1K

-56.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 MYR 1,225

$602 ฿20.0K

-49.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

5.57

-20.47%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Kota Bharu versus $490 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 99% 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $240 – making Kota Bharu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 37% more than Kota Bharu, 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 $1,038 per month in Kota Bharu and $1,421 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 $126 per month in Kota Bharu and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Kota Bharu 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. Kota Bharu costs $692 versus $947 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.