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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Sentul vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,239 per month in Sentul vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,663 per month in Sentul vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sentul is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sentul and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sentul 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 MYR 14.15

$1.98 ฿64.3

76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MYR 75.4

$18.80 ฿612

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.61

$7.75 ฿252

-37.55%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.28

$1.92 ฿62.5

44.79%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.79 ฿25.79

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.36 ฿11.62

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.62

$2.21 ฿72.1

63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 MYR 20.96

$3.66 ฿119

41.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.35

$1.65 ฿53.8

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.83

$1.63 ฿53.2

-42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.00

$1.19 ฿38.86

45.38%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.38

$2.00 ฿65.1

-9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.65

$15.98 ฿520

-32.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.95

$3.03 ฿98.5

13.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 MYR 33.20

$10.86 ฿354

-24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.24

$2.76 ฿90.0

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.09

$1.18 ฿38.42

27.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.36

$1.64 ฿53.5

55.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.94

$1.52 ฿49.51

-19.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$1.38 ฿45.10

-13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.58

$1.19 ฿38.84

15.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.63

$0.70 ฿22.86

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MYR 2.55

$0.56 ฿18.13

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.32

$4.58 ฿149

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.4

$16.56 ฿539

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 10.94

$1.83 ฿59.5

47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.15

$3.20 ฿104

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$0.88 ฿28.56

-21.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 47.60

$18.72 ฿610

-37.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$1.36 ฿44.16

-27.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.00

$1.34 ฿43.65

-26.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 MYR 38.25

$7.84 ฿256

20.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$1.23 ฿39.92

-62.60%

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

$31.5K MYR 127.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

45.90%

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

$27.9K MYR 113.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

23.64%

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

$40.58 MYR 165

$70.5 ฿2,298

-42.47%

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

$8.89 MYR 36.05

$13.68 ฿445

-35.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 MYR 93.9

$17.45 ฿568

32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 MYR 151

$41.33 ฿1,346

-9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.21

$6.96 ฿227

-14.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MYR 19.70

$5.77 ฿188

-15.77%

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

$185 MYR 751

$307 ฿10.0K

-39.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,840 MYR 27.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-53.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 MYR 260

$55.8 ฿1,817

14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 MYR 115

$26.21 ฿854

8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 MYR 236

$85.8 ฿2,793

-32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.93 MYR 194

$72.2 ฿2,353

-33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MYR 1,552

$430 ฿14.0K

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,085

$239 ฿7,774

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MYR 2,616

$817 ฿26.6K

-21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,924

$511 ฿16.6K

-7.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 MYR 8,998

$1,983 ฿64.6K

11.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$982 MYR 3,982

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-33.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 MYR 3,557

$619 ฿20.2K

41.75%

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 Sentul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Sentul versus $430 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 42% higher in Sentul, 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 Sentul versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $241 – making Sentul 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Sentul, 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 $1,222 per month in Sentul and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sentul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Sentul and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $815 in Sentul and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sentul costs $815 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sentul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.