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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $831 per month in Skudai vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Skudai vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Skudai vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skudai is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skudai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 38% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.83

$1.96 ฿63.6

78.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 MYR 73.8

$18.81 ฿611

-0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$7.92 ฿258

-40.40%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.50

$1.91 ฿62.2

52.36%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.82

$0.84 ฿27.25

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$0.35 ฿11.44

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MYR 14.40

$2.21 ฿71.7

65.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 19.89

$3.80 ฿124

32.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.64 ฿53.2

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.66

$1.62 ฿52.8

-42.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.16

$1.18 ฿38.40

11.02%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.43

$2.01 ฿65.4

-6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 MYR 42.43

$15.89 ฿517

-32.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.47

$3.01 ฿98.0

13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 MYR 32.02

$10.77 ฿350

-24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 10.77

$2.61 ฿85.0

4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.83

$1.22 ฿39.65

21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.83

$1.70 ฿55.4

46.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.00

$1.58 ฿51.2

-19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.50

$1.32 ฿42.89

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.32

$1.17 ฿38.01

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MYR 3.54

$0.67 ฿21.85

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.19

$0.56 ฿18.21

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$4.53 ฿147

-7.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 56.3

$18.20 ฿592

-21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 10.92

$1.83 ฿59.6

50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.31

$3.23 ฿105

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$0.89 ฿28.83

-17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 47.28

$19.38 ฿630

-38.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.35 ฿43.95

-25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.07

$1.35 ฿43.79

-23.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$8.25 ฿268

11.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.27 ฿41.40

-60.63%

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

$32.0K MYR 126.6K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

51.47%

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

$27.8K MYR 109.8K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

23.60%

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

$41.28 MYR 163

$70.2 ฿2,281

-41.15%

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

$8.99 MYR 35.49

$13.77 ฿448

-34.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.61 MYR 89.3

$17.60 ฿572

28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.15 MYR 147

$41.57 ฿1,352

-10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 23.46

$6.60 ฿215

-10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$5.78 ฿188

-12.11%

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

$187 MYR 738

$306 ฿9,953

-38.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,822 MYR 26.9K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-53.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.04 MYR 194

$54.4 ฿1,768

-9.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 MYR 74.3

$26.14 ฿850

-28.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 MYR 230

$84.5 ฿2,748

-31.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.23 MYR 183

$69.4 ฿2,257

-33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,503

$424 ฿13.8K

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,076

$238 ฿7,743

14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,575

$825 ฿26.8K

-20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,877

$515 ฿16.7K

-7.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 MYR 7,819

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-3.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$791 MYR 3,124

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-48.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

-18.60%

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

Last update for Skudai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Skudai versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Skudai versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $243 – making Skudai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Skudai, 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 $1,246 per month in Skudai and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skudai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Skudai and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $831 in Skudai and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $831 versus $852 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 Skudai. 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.