Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Chiang Mai

🙂 Solo nomad: Petaling Jaya is 5.1% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 3.9% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Petaling Jaya is 6.2% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 4.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.47 MYR 14.63
$2.02 ฿65.3
71.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.92 MYR 79.8
$18.78 ฿608
0.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.6 MYR 19.4
$7.67 ฿248
-40.03%
Cappuccino
$2.72 MYR 11.47
$1.98 ฿64.2
37.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 MYR 3.07
$0.82 ฿26.64
-10.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 MYR 1.66
$0.33 ฿10.58
18.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.47 MYR 14.62
$2.12 ฿68.6
63.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.92 MYR 20.75
$3.73 ฿121
31.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 MYR 7.89
$1.64 ฿53.2
14.02%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 MYR 4.01
$1.57 ฿50.9
-39.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 MYR 7.24
$1.19 ฿38.62
44.54%
Eggs
$2.18 MYR 9.18
$1.98 ฿64.1
10.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.64 MYR 44.87
$15.99 ฿517
-33.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.39 MYR 14.3
$3.12 ฿101
8.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.19 MYR 34.54
$11.16 ฿361
-26.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 MYR 11.76
$2.76 ฿89.2
1.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 MYR 7.37
$1.22 ฿39.5
43.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.53 MYR 10.68
$1.71 ฿55.4
47.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.25 MYR 5.27
$1.55 ฿50.2
-19.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 MYR 4.75
$1.34 ฿43.21
-15.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.4 MYR 5.89
$1.21 ฿39.23
15.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.96 MYR 4.04
$0.72 ฿23.2
33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 MYR 2.45
$0.53 ฿17.05
9.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MYR 18.01
$4.72 ฿153
-9.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 MYR 79.6
$18.39 ฿595
2.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 MYR 11.31
$1.79 ฿57.9
49.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 MYR 16.16
$3.21 ฿104
19.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.71 MYR 2.99
$0.94 ฿30.44
-24.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.75 MYR 49.57
$18.9 ฿612
-37.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 MYR 4.33
$1.42 ฿46.08
-27.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 MYR 1.49
$1.35 ฿43.53
-74.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.36 MYR 39.46
$7.85 ฿254
19.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.49 MYR 2.07
$1.25 ฿40.4
-60.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K MYR 132.2K
$21.2K ฿684.9K
48.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28K MYR 118.2K
$21.8K ฿706.8K
28.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.58 MYR 175
$70.6 ฿2,285
-41.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.89 MYR 37.47
$13.72 ฿444
-35.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.97 MYR 96.9
$17.56 ฿568
30.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.26 MYR 157
$41.64 ฿1,347
-10.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.23 MYR 30.5
$6.9 ฿223
4.78%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08 MYR 21.43
$5.8 ฿188
-12.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$210 MYR 887
$308 ฿9,963
-31.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,001 MYR 33.7K
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-45.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.01 MYR 207
$55.4 ฿1,793
-11.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.16 MYR 144
$26.4 ฿854
29.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.2 MYR 233
$85.1 ฿2,755
-35.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$48.06 MYR 203
$71.8 ฿2,323
-33.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 MYR 1,917
$434 ฿14K
4.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$349 MYR 1,471
$235 ฿7,610
48.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$823 MYR 3,471
$821 ฿26.6K
0.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$542 MYR 2,287
$498 ฿16.1K
8.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,404 MYR 10.1K
$2,180 ฿70.6K
10.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$821 MYR 3,463
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-46.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Petaling Jaya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,668 MYR 7,036
$703 ฿22.8K
137.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.49
5
-10.20%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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