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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $821 per month in Sibu vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sibu vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Sibu vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sibu is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$1.94 ฿63.5

8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$18.64 ฿609

-54.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$7.82 ฿255

-48.85%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$1.95 ฿63.8

9.23%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$0.85 ฿27.77

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.35 ฿11.58

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$2.13 ฿69.6

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$3.73 ฿122

32.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.71 ฿56.0

-18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$1.63 ฿53.2

-18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$1.14 ฿37.15

5.26%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$1.93 ฿63.1

-19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$16.21 ฿530

-7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$3.12 ฿102

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$10.90 ฿356

-45.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$2.75 ฿90.0

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$1.62 ฿53.0

15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$1.59 ฿51.8

118.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$1.40 ฿45.70

-10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$1.17 ฿38.17

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$0.66 ฿21.60

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.53 ฿17.22

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$4.69 ฿153

-15.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$18.66 ฿609

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$1.80 ฿58.8

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$3.23 ฿106

26.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.90 ฿29.26

-18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$19.21 ฿628

-38.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$1.41 ฿45.91

-14.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$1.29 ฿42.12

-24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$7.84 ฿256

-25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$1.27 ฿41.58

-60.63%

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

63.20%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

41.18%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$69.1 ฿2,256

-36.40%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$14.08 ฿460

-63.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$18.00 ฿588

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$41.06 ฿1,341

-43.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$6.96 ฿227

-16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$5.92 ฿193

-47.80%

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

$190 MYR 762

$299 ฿9,766

-36.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$54.7 ฿1,787

11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$26.77 ฿874

1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$85.0 ฿2,776

-15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$70.6 ฿2,306

-28.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$428 ฿14.0K

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$237 ฿7,752

13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$801 ฿26.2K

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$515 ฿16.8K

-9.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$1,975 ฿64.5K

12.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-41.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$617 ฿20.2K

-17.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-15.00%

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

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Sibu 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 21% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $8.00 in Sibu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Sibu 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Sibu, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,232 per month in Sibu 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 Sibu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Sibu 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $821 in Sibu and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibu costs $821 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 Sibu. 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.