Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $982 per month in Setia Alam vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,469 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,956 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Setia Alam costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$2.08 ฿68.6

134.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$19.64 ฿646

24.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$5.65 ฿186

-14.69%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$1.81 ฿59.4

78.45%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$0.71 ฿23.45

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.32 ฿10.38

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$2.24 ฿73.6

104.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$3.63 ฿119

68.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$1.96 ฿64.4

-5.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$1.50 ฿49.39

-48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.34 ฿43.93

-20.90%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$2.26 ฿74.5

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$16.26 ฿535

-68.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$2.95 ฿97.1

45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$9.94 ฿327

-2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$2.57 ฿84.6

-46.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.06 ฿34.73

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$1.61 ฿53.0

-14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$1.52 ฿49.97

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$1.27 ฿41.77

9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$1.07 ฿35.06

26.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$0.72 ฿23.68

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$0.51 ฿16.72

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$4.19 ฿138

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$17.87 ฿587

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$1.69 ฿55.7

108.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$2.84 ฿93.3

71.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.93 ฿30.43

-23.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$53.9 ฿1,771

-77.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$1.23 ฿40.59

3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$0.58 ฿18.96

118.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$2.42 ฿79.7

105.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$1.41 ฿46.43

-53.19%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

94.17%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

27.46%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$63.7 ฿2,093

-1.01%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$12.85 ฿423

-28.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$20.22 ฿665

31.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$38.74 ฿1,274

47.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$3.97 ฿130

64.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$6.74 ฿222

-21.22%

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

$176 MYR 711

$778 ฿25.6K

-77.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$54.3 ฿1,785

35.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$25.45 ฿837

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$94.3 ฿3,102

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$73.4 ฿2,415

-24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$490 ฿16.1K

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$289 ฿9,512

9.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$894 ฿29.4K

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$517 ฿17.0K

6.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$1,955 ฿64.3K

5.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-24.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$602 ฿19.8K

91.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

5.57

-26.03%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Setia Alam 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 91% higher in Setia Alam, 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Setia Alam vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Setia Alam 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

Setia Alam vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setia Alam costs about 4% 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 $1,472 per month in Setia Alam 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 $176 per month in Setia Alam and $778 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 11% cheaper in Setia Alam – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Setia Alam at $982. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setia Alam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $982 in Setia Alam. 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, Setia Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.