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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Malang vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $755 per month in Malang vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,030 per month in Malang vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malang is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malang 64% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$1.94 ฿63.5

-34.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.35 Rp 220.5K

$18.64 ฿609

-33.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.06 Rp 54.6K

$7.82 ฿255

-60.87%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 25.1K

$1.95 ฿63.8

-27.69%

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

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.85 ฿27.77

-32.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,922

$0.35 ฿11.58

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$2.13 ฿69.6

12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 55.3K

$3.73 ฿122

-16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-33.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.14 ฿37.15

-23.68%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 25.9K

$1.93 ฿63.1

-24.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 Rp 115.5K

$16.21 ฿530

-60.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 Rp 56.7K

$3.12 ฿102

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 Rp 127.9K

$10.90 ฿356

-34.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.6K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

$1.21 ฿39.52

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 31.3K

$1.62 ฿53.0

8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.6K

$1.17 ฿38.17

51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 Rp 9,035

$0.66 ฿21.60

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,301

$0.53 ฿17.22

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 Rp 44.1K

$4.69 ฿153

-47.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 Rp 227.3K

$18.66 ฿609

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$1.80 ฿58.8

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.2K

$3.23 ฿106

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

$0.90 ฿29.26

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.23 Rp 111.2K

$19.21 ฿628

-67.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,480

$1.41 ฿45.91

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,614

$1.29 ฿42.12

-75.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 Rp 111.9K

$7.84 ฿256

-20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-40.16%

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

$20.6K Rp 367.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-3.31%

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

$27.2K Rp 484.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

22.24%

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

$33.63 Rp 600.6K

$69.1 ฿2,256

-51.31%

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

$2.55 Rp 45.5K

$14.08 ฿460

-81.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 350.0K

$18.00 ฿588

8.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.59 Rp 260.6K

$41.06 ฿1,341

-64.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 Rp 87.5K

$6.96 ฿227

-29.60%

Cinema Ticket

$2.17 Rp 38.7K

$5.92 ฿193

-63.34%

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

$34.05 Rp 608.1K

$299 ฿9,766

-88.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,339 Rp 166.8M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-37.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.84 Rp 765.0K

$54.7 ฿1,787

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 Rp 541.2K

$26.77 ฿874

13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 Rp 1.1M

$85.0 ฿2,776

-28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 ฿2,306

16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$428 ฿14.0K

-62.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.0 Rp 893.4K

$237 ฿7,752

-78.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 Rp 4.9M

$801 ฿26.2K

-65.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.2 Rp 1.6M

$515 ฿16.8K

-82.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$617 ฿20.2K

-67.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-20.00%

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

Last update for Malang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $160 in Malang 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 211% 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 $12.00 in Malang versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $246 – making Malang 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 80% more than Malang, 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 $721 per month in Malang 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 Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $34.05 per month in Malang 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 35% 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 $480 in Malang and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malang costs $480 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 Malang. 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.