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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $897 per month in Labuan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Labuan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Labuan vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Labuan costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Labuan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Labuan 33% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 MYR 20.43

$1.94 ฿63.5

165.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.23 MYR 92.1

$18.64 ฿609

24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MYR 25.85

$7.82 ฿255

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$3.83 MYR 15.18

$1.95 ฿63.8

96.41%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.22

$0.85 ฿27.77

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.70

$0.35 ฿11.58

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.30

$2.13 ฿69.6

69.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 MYR 19.77

$3.73 ฿122

33.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.59

$1.71 ฿56.0

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.63 ฿53.2

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.14 ฿37.15

9.65%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$1.93 ฿63.1

6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 MYR 58.5

$16.21 ฿530

-9.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$3.12 ฿102

35.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 38.33

$10.90 ฿356

-11.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 MYR 11.30

$2.75 ฿90.0

3.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.04

$1.21 ฿39.52

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.38

$1.62 ฿53.0

61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.45

$1.59 ฿51.8

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.93

$1.40 ฿45.70

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.25

$1.17 ฿38.17

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.10

$0.66 ฿21.60

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.22

$4.69 ฿153

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$18.66 ฿609

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.15

$1.80 ฿58.8

56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.57

$3.23 ฿106

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.90 ฿29.26

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 MYR 47.20

$19.21 ฿628

-38.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.41 ฿45.91

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$1.29 ฿42.12

-19.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MYR 23.60

$7.84 ฿256

-24.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.27 ฿41.58

-60.63%

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

$34.8K MYR 138.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

63.67%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

43.45%

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

$43.79 MYR 174

$69.1 ฿2,256

-36.60%

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

$9.31 MYR 36.93

$14.08 ฿460

-33.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.94 MYR 115

$18.00 ฿588

60.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$41.06 ฿1,341

-9.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.99

$6.96 ฿227

-16.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MYR 19.69

$5.92 ฿193

-16.05%

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

$190 MYR 753

$299 ฿9,766

-36.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$54.7 ฿1,787

13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 MYR 110

$26.77 ฿874

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 290

$85.0 ฿2,776

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 201

$70.6 ฿2,306

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,529

$428 ฿14.0K

-9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,053

$237 ฿7,752

11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,600

$801 ฿26.2K

-18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,854

$515 ฿16.8K

-9.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 MYR 6,761

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-13.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$891 MYR 3,532

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-39.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 MYR 1,514

$617 ฿20.2K

-38.18%

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 Labuan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Labuan 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 62% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $23.00 in Labuan 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

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

Labuan costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,345 per month in Labuan 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Labuan and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Labuan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $897 in Labuan and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $897 in Labuan. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Labuan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.