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: $812 in Songkhla versus $826 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Songkhla versus $1,309 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,743 in Songkhla versus $1,792 in George Town.

Living in Songkhla costs roughly 2% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Songkhla 39% lower, George Town 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.65 ฿53.8

$3.01 MYR 11.94

-45.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿599

$21.01 MYR 83.3

-12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 ฿110

$4.36 MYR 17.29

-22.94%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ฿47.69

$2.52 MYR 10.01

-42.06%

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

$0.68 ฿22.36

$0.76 MYR 3.02

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.28

$0.34 MYR 1.34

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$4.33 MYR 17.17

-49.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ฿112

$4.73 MYR 18.75

-27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ฿51.7

$1.84 MYR 7.31

-14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ฿28.99

$1.09 MYR 4.31

-18.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ฿69.2

$1.62 MYR 6.43

30.86%

Eggs

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.12 MYR 8.40

-23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.33 ฿533

$17.23 MYR 68.3

-5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿88.1

$4.89 MYR 19.38

-44.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ฿342

$10.81 MYR 42.86

-3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ฿82.3

$2.93 MYR 11.62

-13.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ฿59.2

$1.42 MYR 5.63

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.78

$2.22 MYR 8.81

-43.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿42.41

$1.28 MYR 5.06

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.3

$0.82 MYR 3.24

91.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 ฿57.8

$1.22 MYR 4.83

45.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ฿49.16

$0.74 MYR 2.92

104.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ฿29.76

$0.54 MYR 2.15

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.04 MYR 16.02

9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 ฿445

$12.85 MYR 51.0

5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ฿52.4

$2.65 MYR 10.52

-39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.52 MYR 13.95

33.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.61

$0.46 MYR 1.81

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 ฿2,017

$11.83 MYR 46.91

422.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ฿41.36

$1.20 MYR 4.76

5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 ฿24.47

$0.44 MYR 1.74

70.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 ฿303

$6.62 MYR 26.25

40.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.97

$0.49 MYR 1.96

175.51%

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

$28.2K ฿920.6K

$34.0K MYR 134.7K

-17.00%

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

$36.5K ฿1.2M

$24.9K MYR 98.9K

46.28%

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

$89.4 ฿2,918

$38.38 MYR 152

132.83%

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

$12.76 ฿417

$9.53 MYR 37.79

33.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 ฿604

$29.64 MYR 118

-37.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 ฿1,627

$39.42 MYR 156

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$3.70 MYR 14.68

-51.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ฿177

$4.00 MYR 15.85

35.75%

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

$123 ฿4,030

$150 MYR 597

-18.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,497 ฿310.2K

$4,504 MYR 17.9K

110.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 ฿1,024

$51.5 MYR 204

-39.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 ฿1,142

$28.82 MYR 114

21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 ฿3,246

$60.2 MYR 239

65.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.75 ฿711

$52.4 MYR 208

-58.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ฿9,032

$371 MYR 1,473

-25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ฿5,889

$254 MYR 1,008

-29.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 ฿19.4K

$725 MYR 2,876

-18.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿13.9K

$491 MYR 1,948

-13.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,766 ฿57.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ฿43.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$829 ฿27.1K

$1,097 MYR 4,350

-24.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.33

4.16

124.28%

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

Last update for Songkhla: June 1, 2026

Last update for George Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Songkhla and $371 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 32% 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: $18.00 in Songkhla vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $252 per month, with Songkhla cheaper across the board.

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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, George Town earns 32% less. 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: $277 in Songkhla versus $371 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 422% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Songkhla versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Songkhla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 2% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.