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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $834 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,345 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Kota Kinabalu vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kota Kinabalu is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kota Kinabalu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kota Kinabalu 38% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 14.01

$1.98 ฿64.3

74.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.87 MYR 76.5

$18.80 ฿612

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.55

$7.75 ฿252

-40.90%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.94

$1.92 ฿62.5

40.63%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.36 ฿11.62

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MYR 9.43

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MYR 14.02

$3.66 ฿119

-5.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$1.65 ฿53.8

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.85

$1.63 ฿53.2

-26.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.14

$1.19 ฿38.86

47.90%

Eggs

$2.77 MYR 11.23

$2.00 ฿65.1

38.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.08 MYR 106

$15.98 ฿520

63.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 13.89

$3.03 ฿98.5

13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 MYR 29.94

$10.86 ฿354

-32.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 MYR 10.19

$2.76 ฿90.0

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.78

$1.18 ฿38.42

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.23

$1.64 ฿53.5

98.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.83

$1.52 ฿49.51

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.19

$1.38 ฿45.10

10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.87

$1.19 ฿38.84

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$0.70 ฿22.86

58.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.56 ฿18.13

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MYR 16.22

$4.58 ฿149

-12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 MYR 65.0

$16.56 ฿539

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 MYR 7.44

$1.83 ฿59.5

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 MYR 6.76

$3.20 ฿104

-47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 MYR 6.14

$0.88 ฿28.56

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.18 MYR 167

$18.72 ฿610

119.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.47

$1.36 ฿44.16

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$1.34 ฿43.65

-67.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 23.84

$7.84 ฿256

-25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$1.23 ฿39.92

-61.79%

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

$30.0K MYR 121.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

38.71%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

21.63%

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

$50.7 MYR 206

$70.5 ฿2,298

-28.08%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.22

$13.68 ฿445

-32.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.64 MYR 132

$17.45 ฿568

87.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.02 MYR 179

$41.33 ฿1,346

6.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.89 MYR 11.71

$6.96 ฿227

-58.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 MYR 18.45

$5.77 ฿188

-21.14%

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

$129 MYR 524

$307 ฿10.0K

-57.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,421 MYR 17.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-69.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 243

$55.8 ฿1,817

7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.86 MYR 92.7

$26.21 ฿854

-12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 MYR 292

$85.8 ฿2,793

-15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 MYR 381

$72.2 ฿2,353

30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,556

$430 ฿14.0K

-10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MYR 659

$239 ฿7,774

-31.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MYR 2,651

$817 ฿26.6K

-20.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,502

$511 ฿16.6K

-27.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 MYR 7,336

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-8.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 MYR 4,384

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-27.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 MYR 2,430

$619 ฿20.2K

-3.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

-24.00%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Kota Kinabalu versus $430 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 3% 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 $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Kota Kinabalu vs $241 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Kota Kinabalu, 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 $1,250 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $1,303 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 Kinabalu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Kota Kinabalu and $307 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 12% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $834 in Kota Kinabalu and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kota Kinabalu costs $834 versus $869 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 Kinabalu. 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.