Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Songkhla versus $942 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Songkhla versus $1,605 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,875 in Songkhla versus $2,268 in George Town.

Living in Songkhla costs roughly 11% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Songkhla 39% lower, George Town 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ฿58.7

$3.38 MYR 13.74

-47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ฿732

$15.59 MYR 63.4

42.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ฿163

$4.65 MYR 18.93

6.02%

Cappuccino

$1.59 ฿52.7

$2.76 MYR 11.21

-42.39%

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

$0.68 ฿22.59

$0.74 MYR 3.00

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ฿7.58

$0.33 MYR 1.34

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ฿61.4

$2.54 MYR 10.35

-26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 ฿162

$4.40 MYR 17.90

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$1.84 MYR 7.49

-11.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ฿30.72

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ฿58.6

$1.71 MYR 6.97

3.51%

Eggs

$1.41 ฿46.53

$2.23 MYR 9.06

-36.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.37 ฿541

$13.15 MYR 53.5

24.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 ฿86.5

$4.48 MYR 18.23

-41.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ฿343

$8.93 MYR 36.35

16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 ฿104

$2.34 MYR 9.51

34.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.50 MYR 6.12

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.4

$2.25 MYR 9.14

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿42.51

$1.26 MYR 5.12

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.1

$0.90 MYR 3.64

68.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ฿57.6

$0.80 MYR 3.25

117.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.31

$0.76 MYR 3.08

48.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ฿31.97

$0.57 MYR 2.33

70.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿148

$4.69 MYR 19.06

-4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 ฿455

$19.18 MYR 78.0

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.3

$2.50 MYR 10.18

-36.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ฿155

$3.80 MYR 15.46

23.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.41

$0.51 MYR 2.08

86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 ฿2,049

$11.15 MYR 45.38

456.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ฿41.86

$1.21 MYR 4.91

4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.79

$0.50 MYR 2.04

56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ฿131

$6.97 MYR 28.35

-43.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.54

$0.76 MYR 3.10

61.84%

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

$27.1K ฿893.9K

$42.7K MYR 173.5K

-36.58%

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

$31.8K ฿1.1M

$28.8K MYR 117.1K

10.64%

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

$87.3 ฿2,883

$37.55 MYR 153

132.36%

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

$12.89 ฿426

$8.21 MYR 33.41

57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ฿607

$30.39 MYR 124

-39.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.44 ฿1,601

$41.20 MYR 168

17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.70 ฿486

$4.98 MYR 20.27

195.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ฿200

$4.66 MYR 18.94

30.04%

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

$566 ฿18.7K

$171 MYR 697

230.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ฿358.5K

$4,973 MYR 20.2K

118.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ฿1,731

$54.1 MYR 220

-3.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.24 ฿1,131

$35.74 MYR 145

-4.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ฿2,273

$75.6 MYR 308

-9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ฿2,555

$70.1 MYR 285

10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 ฿8,114

$516 MYR 2,099

-52.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ฿5,846

$373 MYR 1,517

-52.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ฿19.9K

$942 MYR 3,833

-35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿14.1K

$1,012 MYR 4,118

-57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,124 ฿70.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,581 ฿52.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 ฿26.5K

$1,087 MYR 4,421

-26.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.33

4.24

120.05%

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

Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Songkhla and $516 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Songkhla vs $16.00 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $243, with Songkhla cheaper for home cooking.

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

Songkhla vs George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Songkhla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in George Town. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Songkhla versus $516 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Songkhla runs roughly 456% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $566 in Songkhla versus $171 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Songkhla versus $942 in George Town, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Songkhla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in George Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Songkhla and George Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.