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 $909 per month in Sarawak vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,312 per month in Sarawak vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,714 per month in Sarawak vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarawak costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarawak and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 32% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 MYR 13.65

$1.95 ฿62.8

77.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 73.9

$18.43 ฿594

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 MYR 21.37

$7.50 ฿241

-27.87%

Cappuccino

$2.70 MYR 10.66

$1.93 ฿62.3

39.90%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.11

$0.78 ฿25.08

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.32 ฿10.42

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 MYR 30.51

$2.15 ฿69.2

259.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 MYR 32.13

$3.71 ฿120

119.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.07

$1.71 ฿55.2

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 3.92

$1.56 ฿50.3

-36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.18 ฿38.06

4.24%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.08

$1.98 ฿63.9

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.06 MYR 59.5

$16.04 ฿517

-6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.48

$3.17 ฿102

-16.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 MYR 37.93

$10.94 ฿353

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.81

$2.63 ฿84.7

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.75

$1.17 ฿37.61

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.88

$1.65 ฿53.0

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.65

$1.54 ฿49.51

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$1.38 ฿44.34

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.17 ฿37.54

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$0.66 ฿21.25

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.47

$0.51 ฿16.55

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.41

$4.52 ฿146

-7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 MYR 64.1

$18.32 ฿590

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.28

$1.80 ฿57.9

58.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 11.74

$3.18 ฿102

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.87

$0.90 ฿28.97

-18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 45.65

$19.00 ฿612

-39.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.75

$1.41 ฿45.50

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.90

$1.31 ฿42.15

-24.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MYR 23.35

$8.09 ฿261

-26.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$1.28 ฿41.08

-60.94%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

65.32%

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

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

46.12%

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

$42.70 MYR 169

$69.2 ฿2,230

-38.29%

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

$8.86 MYR 34.99

$13.97 ฿450

-36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.95 MYR 114

$17.95 ฿578

61.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.04 MYR 146

$42.31 ฿1,363

-12.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 23.82

$6.66 ฿214

-9.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.34

$5.92 ฿191

-17.23%

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

$187 MYR 737

$299 ฿9,640

-37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-53.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.88 MYR 142

$56.2 ฿1,810

-36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 MYR 155

$26.94 ฿868

45.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MYR 311

$84.9 ฿2,735

-7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 MYR 227

$71.8 ฿2,314

-19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,289

$435 ฿14.0K

-24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,065

$240 ฿7,727

12.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 MYR 1,977

$798 ฿25.7K

-37.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,405

$498 ฿16.1K

-28.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 MYR 6,928

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-12.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 MYR 3,498

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-42.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MYR 1,696

$628 ฿20.2K

-31.65%

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 Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Sarawak 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.

Salaries run about 46% 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 in Sarawak versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Sarawak vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Sarawak 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 8% 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 $1,364 per month in Sarawak 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 $187 per month in Sarawak and $299 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 2% cheaper in Sarawak – 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 $909 in Sarawak 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 $909 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.