Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Terengganu and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Terengganu and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,600 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kuala Terengganu is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kuala Terengganu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kuala Terengganu 47% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.08

$1.94 ฿63.5

18.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 MYR 87.2

$18.64 ฿609

17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 MYR 17.30

$7.82 ฿255

-44.25%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 11.79

$1.95 ฿63.8

52.31%

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

$0.44 MYR 1.75

$0.85 ฿27.77

-48.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.16

$2.13 ฿69.6

67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.27

$3.73 ฿122

30.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MYR 6.12

$1.71 ฿56.0

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.79

$1.63 ฿53.2

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.14 ฿37.15

9.65%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$1.93 ฿63.1

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.8

$16.21 ฿530

-6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 MYR 17.46

$3.12 ฿102

41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 38.38

$10.90 ฿356

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.83

$2.75 ฿90.0

8.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.76

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.20

$1.62 ฿53.0

58.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.47

$1.59 ฿51.8

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.40 ฿45.70

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$1.17 ฿38.17

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$0.66 ฿21.60

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.07

$0.53 ฿17.22

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$4.69 ฿153

-7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 MYR 74.5

$18.66 ฿609

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.19

$1.80 ฿58.8

56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 11.93

$3.23 ฿106

-6.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.95

$0.90 ฿29.26

-17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 47.50

$19.21 ฿628

-37.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.77

$1.41 ฿45.91

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$1.29 ฿42.12

-23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MYR 23.99

$7.84 ฿256

-22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$1.27 ฿41.58

-60.63%

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

$35.4K MYR 140.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

66.33%

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

$32.0K MYR 127.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

44.15%

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

$43.46 MYR 172

$69.1 ฿2,256

-37.08%

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

$9.35 MYR 37.07

$14.08 ฿460

-33.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MYR 118

$18.00 ฿588

64.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 MYR 144

$41.06 ฿1,341

-11.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.96

$6.96 ฿227

-16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.74

$5.92 ฿193

-15.88%

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

$184 MYR 730

$299 ฿9,766

-38.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,045 MYR 27.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-52.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 242

$54.7 ฿1,787

11.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.86 MYR 106

$26.77 ฿874

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 294

$85.0 ฿2,776

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 MYR 202

$70.6 ฿2,306

-27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 MYR 787

$428 ฿14.0K

-53.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 MYR 476

$237 ฿7,752

-49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,571

$801 ฿26.2K

-19.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,084

$515 ฿16.8K

-46.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 MYR 7,823

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-0.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 MYR 3,879

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 MYR 2,001

$617 ฿20.2K

-18.28%

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 Kuala Terengganu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Kuala Terengganu 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 22% 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 $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai 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

Kuala Terengganu vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Kuala Terengganu, 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 $1,059 per month in Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Kuala Terengganu and $299 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 1% 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 $706 in Kuala Terengganu and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuala Terengganu costs $706 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 Kuala Terengganu. 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.