Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $875 per month in Putra Heights vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,756 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Putra Heights costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.23

$1.98 ฿64.3

77.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.65 MYR 75.6

$18.80 ฿612

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.55

$7.75 ฿252

-37.81%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$1.92 ฿62.5

51.56%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.43

$0.79 ฿25.79

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.36 ฿11.62

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 MYR 16.83

$2.21 ฿72.1

87.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 MYR 24.54

$3.66 ฿119

65.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$1.65 ฿53.8

12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.12

$1.63 ฿53.2

-37.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.00

$1.19 ฿38.86

3.36%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$2.00 ฿65.1

-9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 MYR 58.6

$15.98 ฿520

-9.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.35

$3.03 ฿98.5

49.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 MYR 40.01

$10.86 ฿354

-9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.71

$2.76 ฿90.0

4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.93

$1.18 ฿38.42

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.87

$1.64 ฿53.5

63.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.18

$1.52 ฿49.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.01

$1.38 ฿45.10

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.68

$1.19 ฿38.84

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MYR 4.78

$0.70 ฿22.86

68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.29

$0.56 ฿18.13

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MYR 16.70

$4.58 ฿149

-10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 MYR 58.7

$16.56 ฿539

-12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.60

$1.83 ฿59.5

56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.73

$3.20 ฿104

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.88 ฿28.56

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 47.68

$18.72 ฿610

-37.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$1.36 ฿44.16

-15.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.34 ฿43.65

-23.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.83 MYR 19.58

$7.84 ฿256

-38.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$1.23 ฿39.92

-62.60%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

65.02%

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

$32.5K MYR 131.7K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

44.08%

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

$65.2 MYR 264

$70.5 ฿2,298

-7.57%

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

$9.08 MYR 36.81

$13.68 ฿445

-33.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.51 MYR 103

$17.45 ฿568

46.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.75 MYR 149

$41.33 ฿1,346

-11.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.43

$6.96 ฿227

-16.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 MYR 21.18

$5.77 ฿188

-9.53%

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

$187 MYR 757

$307 ฿10.0K

-39.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,960 MYR 28.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-52.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 MYR 244

$55.8 ฿1,817

7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.58 MYR 75.4

$26.21 ฿854

-29.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MYR 298

$85.8 ฿2,793

-14.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.76 MYR 161

$72.2 ฿2,353

-44.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,570

$430 ฿14.0K

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,093

$239 ฿7,774

12.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,587

$817 ฿26.6K

-21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MYR 1,936

$511 ฿16.6K

-6.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,110 MYR 8,554

$1,983 ฿64.6K

6.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 MYR 3,533

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-41.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,118 MYR 4,532

$619 ฿20.2K

80.59%

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 Putra Heights: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Putra Heights versus $430 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 81% higher in Putra Heights, 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 $19.00 in Putra Heights versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Putra Heights vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Putra Heights vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putra Heights costs about 1% 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 $1,312 per month in Putra Heights and $1,303 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 $187 per month in Putra Heights and $307 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 Putra Heights, 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 $875 in Putra Heights and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $875 in Putra Heights. 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, Putra Heights makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.