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 $857 per month in Shah Alam vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Shah Alam vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,763 per month in Shah Alam vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 11.97

$1.94 ฿63.5

55.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.93 MYR 75.1

$18.64 ฿609

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 MYR 16.37

$7.82 ฿255

-47.19%

Cappuccino

$2.73 MYR 10.81

$1.95 ฿63.8

40.00%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.87

$0.85 ฿27.77

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.35 ฿11.58

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$2.13 ฿69.6

61.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MYR 17.57

$3.73 ฿122

18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.45

$1.71 ฿56.0

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.74

$1.63 ฿53.2

-42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.95

$1.14 ฿37.15

31.58%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.16

$1.93 ฿63.1

6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 MYR 56.6

$16.21 ฿530

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 MYR 19.60

$3.12 ฿102

58.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 MYR 32.06

$10.90 ฿356

-25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MYR 11.20

$2.75 ฿90.0

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$1.21 ฿39.52

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.22

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.82

$1.59 ฿51.8

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

-15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.55

$1.17 ฿38.17

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.53

$0.66 ฿21.60

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.25

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.52

$4.69 ฿153

-11.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 MYR 76.1

$18.66 ฿609

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.51

$1.80 ฿58.8

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MYR 15.12

$3.23 ฿106

17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.75

$0.90 ฿29.26

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.28 MYR 60.6

$19.21 ฿628

-20.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.79

$1.41 ฿45.91

-31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.16

$1.29 ฿42.12

-58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 MYR 28.27

$7.84 ฿256

-9.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$1.27 ฿41.58

-63.78%

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

$33.5K MYR 132.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

57.44%

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

$27.7K MYR 109.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.73%

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

$41.35 MYR 164

$69.1 ฿2,256

-40.13%

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

$10.16 MYR 40.27

$14.08 ฿460

-27.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.62 MYR 121

$18.00 ฿588

70.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.96 MYR 154

$41.06 ฿1,341

-5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 MYR 23.72

$6.96 ฿227

-14.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 MYR 25.23

$5.92 ฿193

7.43%

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

$213 MYR 844

$299 ฿9,766

-28.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,253 MYR 24.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-58.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 MYR 197

$54.7 ฿1,787

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 MYR 138

$26.77 ฿874

30.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 MYR 243

$85.0 ฿2,776

-27.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.83 MYR 194

$70.6 ฿2,306

-30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,475

$428 ฿14.0K

-13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,054

$237 ฿7,752

12.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 MYR 2,285

$801 ฿26.2K

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 MYR 1,907

$515 ฿16.8K

-6.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,553 MYR 6,156

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-21.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 MYR 4,850

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-17.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,263 MYR 5,008

$617 ฿20.2K

104.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Shah 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 105% higher in Shah Alam, 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 Shah Alam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Shah Alam vs $246 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Shah Alam, 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 $1,286 per month in Shah 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 Shah Alam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Shah 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 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $857 in Shah Alam and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shah Alam costs $857 versus $866 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 Shah Alam. 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.