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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $867 per month in Nilai vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,318 per month in Nilai vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,768 per month in Nilai vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Nilai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nilai 35% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.69

$1.95 ฿62.8

77.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 MYR 75.4

$18.43 ฿594

3.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MYR 22.77

$7.50 ฿241

-23.20%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 10.97

$1.93 ฿62.3

44.04%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$0.78 ฿25.08

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.32 ฿10.42

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MYR 14.40

$2.15 ฿69.2

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 MYR 20.10

$3.71 ฿120

37.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$1.71 ฿55.2

9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.76

$1.56 ฿50.3

-39.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.11

$1.18 ฿38.06

9.32%

Eggs

$2.13 MYR 8.40

$1.98 ฿63.9

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.32 MYR 60.5

$16.04 ฿517

-4.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 MYR 17.11

$3.17 ฿102

36.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.13

$10.94 ฿353

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.76

$2.63 ฿84.7

13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.82

$1.17 ฿37.61

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 9.98

$1.65 ฿53.0

53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.47

$1.54 ฿49.51

-9.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$1.38 ฿44.34

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.02

$1.17 ฿37.54

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$0.66 ฿21.25

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.20

$0.51 ฿16.55

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 16.97

$4.52 ฿146

-4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.74 MYR 78.0

$18.32 ฿590

7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.26

$1.80 ฿57.9

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 11.76

$3.18 ฿102

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.67

$0.90 ฿28.97

-24.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 46.88

$19.00 ฿612

-37.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.61

$1.41 ฿45.50

-17.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.09

$1.31 ฿42.15

-21.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 MYR 23.54

$8.09 ฿261

-26.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$1.28 ฿41.08

-64.06%

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

$35.0K MYR 138.1K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

64.23%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.0K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

46.96%

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

$44.30 MYR 175

$69.2 ฿2,230

-35.98%

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

$9.40 MYR 37.14

$13.97 ฿450

-32.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 MYR 114

$17.95 ฿578

60.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.96 MYR 146

$42.31 ฿1,363

-12.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 MYR 23.09

$6.66 ฿214

-12.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.18

$5.92 ฿191

-17.91%

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

$189 MYR 748

$299 ฿9,640

-36.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,905 MYR 27.3K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-53.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MYR 245

$56.2 ฿1,810

10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.86 MYR 106

$26.94 ฿868

-0.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 284

$84.9 ฿2,735

-15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 198

$71.8 ฿2,314

-30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MYR 1,522

$435 ฿14.0K

-11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,047

$240 ฿7,727

10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,551

$798 ฿25.7K

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 MYR 1,892

$498 ฿16.1K

-3.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,695 MYR 6,696

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-15.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$882 MYR 3,483

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-42.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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 Nilai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Nilai versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Nilai versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $244 – 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

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

Nilai 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 $1,300 per month in Nilai and $1,267 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 $189 per month in Nilai 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 5% more in Nilai, 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 $867 in Nilai and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $867 in Nilai. 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, Nilai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.