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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Selangor vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,494 per month in Selangor vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Selangor vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Selangor costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Selangor and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Selangor 25% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$2.08 ฿69.2

111.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$19.64 ฿651

2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$5.65 ฿188

-28.14%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$1.81 ฿59.9

23.76%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$0.71 ฿23.66

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.32 ฿10.48

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$2.24 ฿74.2

100.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$3.63 ฿121

36.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.96 ฿65.0

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.50 ฿49.83

-26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.34 ฿44.32

11.19%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.26 ฿75.1

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$16.26 ฿539

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$2.95 ฿98.0

65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$9.94 ฿330

-0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$2.57 ฿85.3

30.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.06 ฿35.04

73.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$1.61 ฿53.5

45.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$1.52 ฿50.4

9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.27 ฿42.14

5.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$1.07 ฿35.37

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$0.72 ฿23.89

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$0.51 ฿16.87

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$4.19 ฿139

9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$17.87 ฿593

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$1.69 ฿56.2

100.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$2.84 ฿94.1

78.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.93 ฿30.70

34.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$53.9 ฿1,787

-76.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.23 ฿40.95

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$0.58 ฿19.13

117.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$2.42 ฿80.4

84.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$1.41 ฿46.84

-51.06%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

100.12%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

29.84%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$63.7 ฿2,112

2.95%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$12.85 ฿426

-26.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$20.22 ฿671

30.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$38.74 ฿1,285

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$3.97 ฿132

78.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$6.74 ฿223

-19.44%

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

$123 MYR 499

$778 ฿25.8K

-84.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-49.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$54.3 ฿1,801

31.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$25.45 ฿844

68.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$94.3 ฿3,129

-16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$73.4 ฿2,436

12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$490 ฿16.2K

3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$289 ฿9,596

20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$894 ฿29.6K

2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$517 ฿17.1K

-5.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-17.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-51.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$602 ฿20.0K

76.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

5.57

-28.90%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Selangor versus $490 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 Selangor, 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 $20.00 in Selangor versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Selangor vs $240 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

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

Selangor costs about 9% 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 $1,543 per month in Selangor and $1,421 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 $123 per month in Selangor and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Selangor, 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 $947, than in Selangor at $1,029. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selangor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,029 in Selangor. 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, Selangor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.