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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Sarawak vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Sarawak vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Sarawak vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarawak costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sarawak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 29% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.19

$2.10 ฿69.3

77.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$19.84 ฿656

-1.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$5.79 ฿191

-15.20%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.22

$1.83 ฿60.4

63.93%

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

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$0.78 ฿25.61

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.31 ฿10.37

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 MYR 14.77

$2.34 ฿77.2

55.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.46

$3.70 ฿122

22.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.40

$2.03 ฿67.1

-10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.32

$1.60 ฿52.7

-33.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.42 ฿46.75

6.34%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$2.18 ฿71.9

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MYR 53.6

$15.91 ฿526

-17.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MYR 17.84

$3.07 ฿102

43.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 MYR 39.85

$9.87 ฿326

-0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 MYR 13.26

$2.63 ฿86.8

23.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.18

$1.10 ฿36.19

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$1.63 ฿53.8

47.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.74

$1.53 ฿50.6

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.24 ฿41.13

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.13 ฿37.37

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.92

$0.74 ฿24.38

63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.50 ฿16.48

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MYR 17.89

$4.28 ฿141

2.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.2

$17.97 ฿594

8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.29

$1.70 ฿56.1

77.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MYR 14.97

$2.90 ฿95.7

26.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.94 ฿31.13

-23.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.50 MYR 50.9

$55.3 ฿1,827

-77.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.23 ฿40.76

-2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.53 ฿17.66

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MYR 29.77

$2.40 ฿79.3

205.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$1.44 ฿47.55

-49.31%

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

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

99.13%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

30.85%

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

$49.33 MYR 201

$64.9 ฿2,145

-24.03%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.41

$13.35 ฿441

-25.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.50 MYR 116

$20.83 ฿688

36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.37 MYR 164

$40.42 ฿1,336

-0.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.50 MYR 26.45

$3.95 ฿131

64.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MYR 20.13

$6.71 ฿222

-26.23%

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

$177 MYR 718

$787 ฿26.0K

-77.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-67.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 249

$56.2 ฿1,858

9.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.90 MYR 146

$24.95 ฿824

43.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 MYR 330

$92.7 ฿3,063

-12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 MYR 282

$75.1 ฿2,482

-7.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,716

$484 ฿16.0K

-12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MYR 1,334

$287 ฿9,491

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,883

$910 ฿30.1K

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,007

$531 ฿17.5K

-7.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,086 MYR 8,485

$1,980 ฿65.4K

5.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,123 MYR 4,567

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-22.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 MYR 1,397

$605 ฿20.0K

-43.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

5.57

-24.60%

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

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Sarawak versus $484 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 76% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Sarawak versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Sarawak vs $242 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

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

Sarawak costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,479 per month in Sarawak and $1,426 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 $177 per month in Sarawak and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Sarawak, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Sarawak at $986. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarawak it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $986 in Sarawak. 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, Sarawak makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.