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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Shah Alam vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,333 per month in Shah Alam vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,793 per month in Shah Alam vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shah Alam costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shah Alam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shah Alam 35% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 MYR 12.16

$1.96 ฿65.8

51.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 76.5

$18.35 ฿617

1.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.90

$7.48 ฿252

-44.79%

Cappuccino

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$2.02 ฿67.8

35.15%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.85 ฿28.50

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.49

$0.36 ฿11.96

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$2.14 ฿71.8

67.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.62

$3.59 ฿121

20.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.38

$1.65 ฿55.5

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MYR 4.06

$1.57 ฿52.7

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$1.19 ฿40.02

25.21%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.29

$1.94 ฿65.1

4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 MYR 58.7

$16.19 ฿544

-11.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MYR 20.73

$2.99 ฿101

69.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 MYR 32.41

$10.94 ฿368

-27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.45

$2.71 ฿91.2

3.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.17 ฿39.25

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.43

$1.69 ฿56.7

50.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.09

$1.60 ฿54.0

-22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.38 ฿46.54

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.49

$1.20 ฿40.45

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.73

$0.67 ฿22.50

35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.56 ฿18.73

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.88

$4.64 ฿156

-10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 MYR 76.1

$17.62 ฿593

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.86

$1.86 ฿62.5

42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.36

$3.30 ฿111

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.88 ฿29.68

-15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.20 MYR 62.2

$19.34 ฿650

-21.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$1.36 ฿45.90

-30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.20

$1.34 ฿44.98

-59.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 MYR 29.47

$8.21 ฿276

-12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.22 ฿41.18

-59.84%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.6K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

57.51%

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

$27.4K MYR 112.2K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

21.72%

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

$41.19 MYR 168

$70.7 ฿2,376

-41.72%

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

$10.07 MYR 41.20

$14.04 ฿472

-28.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 MYR 123

$17.49 ฿588

72.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.85 MYR 159

$42.15 ฿1,417

-7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 23.81

$6.88 ฿231

-15.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 MYR 26.04

$5.92 ฿199

7.60%

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

$210 MYR 861

$309 ฿10.4K

-31.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,234 MYR 25.5K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-58.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MYR 205

$55.8 ฿1,875

-10.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 MYR 143

$26.11 ฿878

33.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 249

$83.0 ฿2,792

-26.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.48 MYR 202

$70.5 ฿2,369

-29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,521

$432 ฿14.5K

-13.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,087

$239 ฿8,035

11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MYR 2,398

$822 ฿27.7K

-28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MYR 1,970

$512 ฿17.2K

-5.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 MYR 6,155

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-21.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 MYR 4,942

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-17.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,252 MYR 5,120

$579 ฿19.5K

116.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

-16.80%

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

Last update for Shah Alam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Shah Alam versus $432 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 116% higher in Shah 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 $19.00 in Shah Alam versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Shah Alam costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,310 per month in Shah Alam and $1,292 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 $210 per month in Shah Alam and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Shah Alam, 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 $873 in Shah Alam and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $873 in Shah 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, Shah Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.