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 $910 per month in Sarawak vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Sarawak vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,716 per month in Sarawak vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarawak costs about 7% 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

$3.57 MYR 14.59

$2.03 ฿68.4

75.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$18.71 ฿630

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MYR 21.32

$7.84 ฿264

-33.55%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.43

$1.93 ฿64.9

44.56%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$0.83 ฿28.00

-4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.35 ฿11.80

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 MYR 31.38

$2.22 ฿74.8

245.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 MYR 34.42

$3.79 ฿128

122.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$1.65 ฿55.4

10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.08

$1.55 ฿52.3

-35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.18 ฿39.79

5.93%

Eggs

$2.14 MYR 8.73

$2.01 ฿67.9

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.7

$16.16 ฿544

-8.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$3.03 ฿102

-15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.80

$10.84 ฿365

-12.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.80

$2.68 ฿90.3

7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.26

$1.22 ฿41.14

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 10.23

$1.63 ฿54.8

53.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$1.53 ฿51.5

-10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.34 ฿45.10

-7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.21 ฿40.86

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 4.07

$0.70 ฿23.63

41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.53 ฿17.70

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.09

$4.69 ฿158

-10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.95 MYR 69.3

$17.71 ฿597

-4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.51

$1.85 ฿62.2

51.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.42

$3.21 ฿108

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.89 ฿30.01

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 48.00

$18.76 ฿632

-37.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.41 ฿47.40

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$1.29 ฿43.52

-20.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MYR 24.04

$7.79 ฿262

-24.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$1.29 ฿43.59

-61.24%

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

$35.1K MYR 143.6K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

61.25%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

47.25%

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

$43.10 MYR 176

$70.0 ฿2,358

-38.41%

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

$8.86 MYR 36.24

$14.19 ฿478

-37.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.05 MYR 119

$17.42 ฿587

66.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 152

$41.64 ฿1,403

-10.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 MYR 24.69

$6.89 ฿232

-12.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 20.38

$5.78 ฿195

-13.84%

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

$189 MYR 771

$300 ฿10.1K

-37.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 MYR 28.2K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-52.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.25 MYR 148

$55.4 ฿1,865

-34.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 MYR 159

$26.31 ฿886

47.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MYR 319

$84.8 ฿2,858

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 229

$70.5 ฿2,375

-20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MYR 1,347

$425 ฿14.3K

-22.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$235 ฿7,919

16.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,038

$802 ฿27.0K

-37.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 MYR 1,455

$516 ฿17.4K

-31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,076 MYR 8,489

$1,926 ฿64.9K

7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,646

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-21.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 MYR 1,706

$586 ฿19.8K

-28.86%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Sarawak versus $425 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 41% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $242 – making Sarawak 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

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

Sarawak costs about 7% 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 $1,271 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 $189 per month in Sarawak and $300 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 1% 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 $910 in Sarawak and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $910 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.