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 $927 per month in Setia Alam vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Setia Alam costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Setia Alam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MYR 18.31

$1.94 ฿63.6

136.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 MYR 92.4

$18.64 ฿609

24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 MYR 19.32

$7.82 ฿256

-38.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 MYR 12.50

$1.95 ฿63.9

60.51%

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

$0.89 MYR 3.56

$0.85 ฿27.80

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.47

$0.35 ฿11.60

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 16.99

$2.13 ฿69.7

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MYR 22.91

$3.73 ฿122

53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.16

$1.71 ฿56.0

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MYR 2.72

$1.63 ฿53.3

-58.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.91

$1.14 ฿37.18

-14.04%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 6.91

$1.93 ฿63.2

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 MYR 18.44

$16.21 ฿530

-71.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 MYR 15.63

$3.12 ฿102

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 37.69

$10.90 ฿356

-13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.29

$2.75 ฿90.1

-52.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MYR 6.34

$1.21 ฿39.56

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.14

$1.62 ฿53.0

-20.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.71

$1.59 ฿51.9

-10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.93

$1.40 ฿45.75

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.07

$1.17 ฿38.20

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.42

$0.66 ฿21.62

-7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.24

$0.53 ฿17.24

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MYR 16.20

$4.69 ฿153

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 MYR 79.6

$18.66 ฿610

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 MYR 12.90

$1.80 ฿58.8

79.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MYR 17.05

$3.23 ฿106

32.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$0.90 ฿29.28

-18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.93 MYR 47.61

$19.21 ฿628

-37.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.64

$1.41 ฿45.96

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.29 ฿42.16

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MYR 18.42

$7.84 ฿256

-41.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.90

$1.27 ฿41.62

-62.20%

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

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

84.76%

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

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

45.06%

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

$58.1 MYR 232

$69.1 ฿2,258

-15.95%

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

$10.59 MYR 42.26

$14.08 ฿460

-24.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 MYR 103

$18.00 ฿588

43.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MYR 223

$41.06 ฿1,342

35.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.35 MYR 9.37

$6.96 ฿227

-66.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 MYR 20.39

$5.92 ฿193

-13.68%

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

$193 MYR 769

$299 ฿9,775

-35.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-35.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 245

$54.7 ฿1,788

12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 MYR 98.6

$26.77 ฿875

-7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 MYR 337

$85.0 ฿2,778

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MYR 208

$70.6 ฿2,308

-26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 1,979

$428 ฿14.0K

15.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,233

$237 ฿7,759

30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 MYR 3,252

$801 ฿26.2K

1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 MYR 2,091

$515 ฿16.9K

1.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 MYR 7,840

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-0.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 MYR 3,955

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-32.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 MYR 4,708

$617 ฿20.2K

91.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

-17.60%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $496 in Setia Alam versus $428 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 $23.00 in Setia Alam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Setia Alam vs $246 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 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 $1,390 per month in Setia Alam and $1,300 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 $193 per month in Setia Alam 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 20% 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 $866, than in Setia Alam at $927. 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 $866 versus $927 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.