Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $791 per month in Kuantan vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Kuantan vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,554 per month in Kuantan vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kuantan is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kuantan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kuantan 41% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.24

$1.96 ฿64.0

19.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.85 MYR 46.82

$18.81 ฿615

-37.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 MYR 13.58

$7.92 ฿259

-56.57%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 8.93

$1.91 ฿62.6

18.32%

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

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$0.84 ฿27.41

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.33

$0.35 ฿11.51

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 MYR 14.03

$2.21 ฿72.1

60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 MYR 21.60

$3.80 ฿124

43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MYR 6.68

$1.64 ฿53.5

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$1.62 ฿53.1

-33.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.96

$1.18 ฿38.62

-15.25%

Eggs

$1.30 MYR 5.13

$2.01 ฿65.8

-35.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MYR 40.15

$15.89 ฿520

-36.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$3.01 ฿98.5

11.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 MYR 23.62

$10.77 ฿352

-44.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.47

$2.61 ฿85.5

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.06

$1.22 ฿39.88

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.41

$1.70 ฿55.7

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.00

$1.58 ฿51.5

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$1.32 ฿43.14

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$1.17 ฿38.23

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 MYR 2.66

$0.67 ฿21.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.19

$0.56 ฿18.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.01

$4.53 ฿148

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 MYR 81.2

$18.20 ฿595

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MYR 7.68

$1.83 ฿60.0

6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$3.23 ฿106

-40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.89 ฿29.00

-48.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.07 MYR 79.3

$19.38 ฿634

3.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.35 ฿44.20

-25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$1.35 ฿44.05

-72.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 16.79

$8.25 ฿270

-48.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$1.27 ฿41.64

-60.63%

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

$32.4K MYR 128.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

53.25%

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

$31.0K MYR 122.3K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

37.65%

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

$24.00 MYR 94.8

$70.2 ฿2,294

-65.79%

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

$9.26 MYR 36.58

$13.77 ฿450

-32.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 MYR 82.4

$17.60 ฿575

18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.61 MYR 149

$41.57 ฿1,360

-9.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 22.76

$6.60 ฿216

-12.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MYR 15.74

$5.78 ฿189

-30.97%

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

$116 MYR 459

$306 ฿10.0K

-62.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 MYR 16.8K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-71.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 MYR 279

$54.4 ฿1,778

29.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.83 MYR 106

$26.14 ฿855

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.45 MYR 152

$84.5 ฿2,764

-54.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.32 MYR 183

$69.4 ฿2,270

-33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 MYR 642

$424 ฿13.9K

-61.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,046

$238 ฿7,788

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 MYR 833

$825 ฿27.0K

-74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,858

$515 ฿16.8K

-8.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,808 MYR 7,142

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-11.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,587

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-40.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 MYR 4,052

$635 ฿20.8K

61.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

-27.60%

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

Last update for Kuantan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $163 in Kuantan versus $424 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 62% higher in Kuantan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Kuantan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $243 – making Kuantan 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

Kuantan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Kuantan, 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 $1,186 per month in Kuantan and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuantan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Kuantan and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $791 in Kuantan and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kuantan costs $791 versus $852 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 Kuantan. 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.