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 $696 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Kuala Terengganu vs $1,838 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 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 MYR 9.88

$1.96 ฿65.7

22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.12 MYR 90.5

$18.35 ฿616

20.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.73

$7.48 ฿251

-38.77%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.97

$2.02 ฿67.7

44.55%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.85 ฿28.45

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.11

$0.36 ฿11.94

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 MYR 14.72

$2.14 ฿71.7

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 MYR 20.46

$3.59 ฿121

39.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 MYR 6.34

$1.65 ฿55.4

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.91

$1.57 ฿52.6

-38.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.35

$1.19 ฿39.95

10.08%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.68

$1.94 ฿65.0

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 MYR 61.5

$16.19 ฿544

-7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MYR 18.13

$2.99 ฿100

48.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.82

$10.94 ฿367

-13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.86

$2.71 ฿91.0

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.16

$1.17 ฿39.18

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.31

$1.69 ฿56.6

49.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$1.60 ฿53.9

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.82

$1.38 ฿46.45

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.20

$1.20 ฿40.38

5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$0.67 ฿22.46

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$0.56 ฿18.70

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.62

$4.64 ฿156

-7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 MYR 76.2

$17.62 ฿591

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.60

$1.86 ฿62.4

52.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.34

$3.30 ฿111

-8.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.88 ฿29.63

-15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.55 MYR 47.25

$19.34 ฿649

-40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.36 ฿45.82

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$1.34 ฿44.90

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 MYR 24.40

$8.21 ฿276

-27.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.02

$1.22 ฿41.11

-59.84%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

63.26%

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

$31.3K MYR 128.2K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

39.05%

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

$43.18 MYR 177

$70.7 ฿2,372

-38.90%

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

$8.96 MYR 36.65

$14.04 ฿471

-36.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 MYR 119

$17.49 ฿587

65.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 MYR 153

$42.15 ฿1,415

-11.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.46

$6.88 ฿231

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.83

$5.92 ฿199

-18.07%

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

$187 MYR 763

$309 ฿10.4K

-39.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,827 MYR 27.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-54.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 251

$55.8 ฿1,872

9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.14 MYR 111

$26.11 ฿877

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 301

$83.0 ฿2,787

-11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 208

$70.5 ฿2,365

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MYR 821

$432 ฿14.5K

-53.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 MYR 474

$239 ฿8,020

-51.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,653

$822 ฿27.6K

-21.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$512 ฿17.2K

-46.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 MYR 8,388

$1,915 ฿64.3K

7.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,138 MYR 4,656

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-22.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 MYR 2,004

$579 ฿19.4K

-15.48%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Kuala Terengganu 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 18% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $243 – 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 24% 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 $1,044 per month in Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Kuala Terengganu and $309 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 2% 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 $696 in Kuala Terengganu and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuala Terengganu costs $696 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 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.