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 $807 per month in Skudai vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Skudai vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Skudai vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skudai is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skudai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 40% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$1.98 ฿64.3

78.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 MYR 77.8

$18.80 ฿612

2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.57

$7.75 ฿252

-37.68%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.05

$1.92 ฿62.5

54.69%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$0.79 ฿25.79

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.36 ฿11.62

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.64

$2.21 ฿72.1

63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 MYR 20.69

$3.66 ฿119

39.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.41

$1.65 ฿53.8

10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.10

$1.63 ฿53.2

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.08

$1.19 ฿38.86

5.04%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.29

$2.00 ฿65.1

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.87

$15.98 ฿520

-32.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.96

$3.03 ฿98.5

13.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 MYR 33.69

$10.86 ฿354

-23.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$2.76 ฿90.0

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.14

$1.18 ฿38.42

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.44

$1.64 ฿53.5

57.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$1.52 ฿49.51

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.80

$1.38 ฿45.10

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.57

$1.19 ฿38.84

15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.80

$0.70 ฿22.86

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.56 ฿18.13

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.89

$4.58 ฿149

-8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 58.5

$16.56 ฿539

-12.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$1.83 ฿59.5

51.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.06

$3.20 ฿104

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.88 ฿28.56

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.65 MYR 47.24

$18.72 ฿610

-37.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$1.36 ฿44.16

-27.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$1.34 ฿43.65

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 38.57

$7.84 ฿256

21.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.23 ฿39.92

-60.16%

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

$31.5K MYR 127.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

45.86%

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

$27.8K MYR 112.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

23.16%

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

$41.22 MYR 167

$70.5 ฿2,298

-41.57%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.96

$13.68 ฿445

-35.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 MYR 91.5

$17.45 ฿568

29.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 150

$41.33 ฿1,346

-10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.28

$6.96 ฿227

-13.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.81

$5.77 ฿188

-15.42%

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

$189 MYR 765

$307 ฿10.0K

-38.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.40 MYR 196

$55.8 ฿1,817

-13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.80 MYR 76.2

$26.21 ฿854

-28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MYR 241

$85.8 ฿2,793

-30.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.35 MYR 192

$72.2 ฿2,353

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,570

$430 ฿14.0K

-9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,081

$239 ฿7,774

11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,589

$817 ฿26.6K

-21.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,906

$511 ฿16.6K

-7.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MYR 7,866

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-2.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 MYR 4,440

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-26.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Skudai versus $430 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: $219 vs $241 – 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 8% 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 $1,211 per month in Skudai and $1,303 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 $189 per month in Skudai and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $807 in Skudai and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skudai costs $807 versus $869 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.