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 $887 per month in Putra Heights vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,318 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,749 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Putra Heights costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Putra Heights and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Putra Heights 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.28

$2.04 ฿68.2

71.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MYR 76.0

$18.71 ฿625

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 MYR 18.79

$7.86 ฿262

-41.48%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.73

$2.03 ฿67.7

41.38%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$0.80 ฿26.66

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.35 ฿11.69

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 MYR 17.47

$2.14 ฿71.6

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 MYR 24.62

$3.67 ฿122

64.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.34

$1.73 ฿57.7

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.57 ฿52.5

-39.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.20 ฿40.03

7.50%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.78

$1.97 ฿65.9

-3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 MYR 60.5

$16.23 ฿542

-8.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$3.06 ฿102

52.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 MYR 38.56

$10.80 ฿361

-12.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$2.77 ฿92.4

5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.18

$1.17 ฿38.98

29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.74

$1.71 ฿57.0

53.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.98

$1.59 ฿53.2

-8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.39 ฿46.55

-10.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.51

$1.16 ฿38.60

16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.94

$0.66 ฿22.07

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$0.52 ฿17.32

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$4.65 ฿155

-10.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.94 MYR 56.9

$17.78 ฿594

-21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$1.79 ฿59.7

55.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.15

$3.34 ฿112

-10.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.99

$0.91 ฿30.30

-19.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.47

$18.64 ฿623

-36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$1.41 ฿47.08

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.23

$1.34 ฿44.74

-22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 MYR 19.05

$8.11 ฿271

-42.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$1.23 ฿41.19

-59.35%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.9K

$21.4K ฿715.7K

66.67%

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

$32.7K MYR 133.5K

$21.8K ฿728.7K

49.75%

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

$65.4 MYR 267

$71.3 ฿2,382

-8.29%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.46

$14.01 ฿468

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.35 MYR 104

$17.93 ฿599

41.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 MYR 153

$40.82 ฿1,363

-8.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 MYR 24.19

$6.88 ฿230

-13.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 MYR 20.90

$5.72 ฿191

-10.49%

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

$186 MYR 758

$308 ฿10.3K

-39.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,798 MYR 27.8K

$14.7K ฿490.1K

-53.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 251

$55.8 ฿1,862

10.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.07 MYR 77.9

$26.04 ฿869

-26.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MYR 297

$84.8 ฿2,832

-14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 MYR 165

$71.0 ฿2,370

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,577

$423 ฿14.1K

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,113

$242 ฿8,095

12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,619

$797 ฿26.6K

-19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,894

$507 ฿16.9K

-8.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 7,161

$1,918 ฿64.1K

-8.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 MYR 4,244

$1,464 ฿48.9K

-29.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,450

$595 ฿19.9K

83.15%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Putra Heights versus $423 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 83% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $244 – making Putra Heights 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

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

Putra Heights costs about 4% 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 $1,330 per month in Putra Heights and $1,279 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 $186 per month in Putra Heights and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Putra Heights – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $887 in Putra Heights and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $887 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.