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

🙂 Solo nomad: Kuching is 2.6% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 8.8% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kuching is 5.1% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 12.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.8 MYR 11.82

$2.02 ฿65.3

38.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.06 MYR 84.6

$18.78 ฿608

6.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.76

$7.67 ฿248

-38.85%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MYR 10.83

$1.98 ฿64.2

29.80%

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

$0.71 MYR 3

$0.82 ฿26.64

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.37

$0.33 ฿10.58

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MYR 11.68

$2.12 ฿68.6

30.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MYR 15.08

$3.73 ฿121

-4.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 MYR 8.24

$1.64 ฿53.2

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.77

$1.57 ฿50.9

-28.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.27

$1.19 ฿38.62

-15.13%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 9

$1.98 ฿64.1

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 MYR 39.48

$15.99 ฿517

-41.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 MYR 16.23

$3.12 ฿101

23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 MYR 33.24

$11.16 ฿361

-29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MYR 12.72

$2.76 ฿89.2

9.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.1 MYR 4.64

$1.22 ฿39.5

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 11.06

$1.71 ฿55.4

53.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.75

$1.55 ฿50.2

18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.85

$1.34 ฿43.21

-14.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.16

$1.21 ฿39.23

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MYR 7.07

$0.72 ฿23.2

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.2

$0.53 ฿17.05

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MYR 17.47

$4.72 ฿153

-12.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 81.8

$18.39 ฿595

5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 MYR 15.7

$1.79 ฿57.9

107.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 14.26

$3.21 ฿104

5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.06

$0.94 ฿30.44

-73.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 MYR 48.8

$18.9 ฿612

-38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.83

$1.42 ฿46.08

-35.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.83

$1.35 ฿43.53

-15.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 MYR 8.17

$7.85 ฿254

-75.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.5 MYR 2.11

$1.25 ฿40.4

-60.00%

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

$44.9K MYR 189.4K

$21.2K ฿684.9K

112.18%

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

$36.1K MYR 152.3K

$21.8K ฿706.8K

65.31%

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

$42.14 MYR 178

$70.6 ฿2,285

-40.32%

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

$8.94 MYR 37.71

$13.72 ฿444

-34.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.81 MYR 105

$17.56 ฿568

41.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.84 MYR 126

$41.64 ฿1,347

-28.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 MYR 41.73

$6.9 ฿223

43.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 MYR 19.47

$5.8 ฿188

-20.34%

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

$144 MYR 606

$308 ฿9,963

-53.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,013 MYR 25.4K

$14.7K ฿475.8K

-59.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66 MYR 278

$55.4 ฿1,793

19.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.77 MYR 134

$26.4 ฿854

20.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 MYR 361

$85.1 ฿2,755

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 MYR 304

$71.8 ฿2,323

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MYR 1,171

$434 ฿14K

-36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 MYR 877

$235 ฿7,610

-11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 MYR 2,409

$821 ฿26.6K

-30.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,645

$498 ฿16.1K

-21.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,881 MYR 7,934

$2,180 ฿70.6K

-13.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,330 MYR 5,607

$1,543 ฿49.9K

-13.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$565 MYR 2,384

$703 ฿22.8K

-19.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

-14.60%

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

Last update for Kuching: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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