Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Songkhla and George Town, Malaysia

For one person, living is cheaper in Songkhla: $837 a month against $952 in George Town, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in George Town outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

40

Cost of Living Index in Songkhla
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Songkhla Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in George Town
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George Town Living Index

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Songkhla

🇹🇭 Thailand

$837

/mo nomad

George Town

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Songkhla and in George Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Songkhla and in George Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $837 in Songkhla versus $952 in George Town.

Songkhla $837
George Town $952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Songkhla versus $1,558 in George Town.

Songkhla $1,340
George Town $1,558

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Songkhla versus $2,164 in George Town.

Songkhla $1,844
George Town $2,164

Living in Songkhla costs roughly 12% less than in George Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Songkhla 39% lower, George Town 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 ฿59.4

$3.46 MYR 14.08

-49.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.63 ฿830

$15.45 MYR 63.0

59.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ฿158

$4.68 MYR 19.06

0.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ฿54.8

$2.75 MYR 11.21

-40.73%

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

$0.67 ฿22.61

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ฿8.47

$0.35 MYR 1.43

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 ฿58.9

$2.47 MYR 10.08

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 ฿160

$4.42 MYR 18.02

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ฿53.7

$1.87 MYR 7.62

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ฿28.79

$1.05 MYR 4.27

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.3

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-5.20%

Eggs

$1.38 ฿46.58

$2.22 MYR 9.03

-37.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.82 ฿567

$13.65 MYR 55.6

23.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.69 ฿90.6

$4.48 MYR 18.23

-39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 ฿352

$8.70 MYR 35.43

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿96.3

$2.34 MYR 9.52

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ฿56.3

$1.46 MYR 5.94

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.3

$2.22 MYR 9.05

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.32

$1.20 MYR 4.89

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.66

$0.92 MYR 3.73

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ฿57.5

$0.85 MYR 3.47

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿37.39

$0.74 MYR 3.03

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ฿30.51

$0.59 MYR 2.39

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿143

$4.58 MYR 18.64

-7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 ฿453

$18.84 MYR 76.7

-28.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ฿52.2

$2.41 MYR 9.82

-35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 ฿155

$3.56 MYR 14.52

28.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.88

$0.47 MYR 1.93

82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 ฿2,045

$12.01 MYR 48.94

405.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.77

$1.23 MYR 5.02

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ฿25.51

$0.51 MYR 2.06

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 ฿197

$6.53 MYR 26.62

-10.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿40.92

$0.82 MYR 3.36

47.56%

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

$26.3K ฿887.7K

$45.5K MYR 185.6K

-42.17%

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

$31.3K ฿1.1M

$34.6K MYR 141.1K

-9.57%

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

$85.3 ฿2,873

$36.85 MYR 150

131.37%

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

$12.64 ฿426

$8.05 MYR 32.78

57.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.03 ฿608

$28.38 MYR 116

-36.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ฿1,629

$40.35 MYR 164

19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 ฿441

$5.03 MYR 20.49

160.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.91 ฿199

$4.52 MYR 18.40

30.75%

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

$571 ฿19.2K

$168 MYR 686

238.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K ฿372.1K

$4,958 MYR 20.2K

122.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 ฿1,741

$53.2 MYR 217

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.14 ฿982

$34.86 MYR 142

-16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 ฿2,586

$73.5 MYR 299

4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 ฿2,602

$70.8 MYR 289

8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,043

$709 MYR 2,888

-66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ฿6,009

$366 MYR 1,492

-51.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 ฿19.9K

$1,104 MYR 4,497

-46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 ฿13.9K

$904 MYR 3,684

-54.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,933 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 ฿27.0K

$1,057 MYR 4,306

-24.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.33

4.04

130.94%

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

Last update for Songkhla: October 26, 2026

Last update for George Town: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Songkhla

$238 28.5%

George Town

$241 25.3% 1.2% $2.9

Accommodation & Living

Songkhla

$178 21.3%

George Town

$366 38.5% 106% $188

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Songkhla

$116 13.9%

George Town

$73 7.7% 36.8% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Songkhla

$106 12.6%

George Town

$105 11% 1% $1.1

Eating Out

Songkhla

$70 8.3%

George Town

$100 10.5% 43.8% $31

Getting Around

Songkhla

$69 8.3%

George Town

$18 1.9% 74.4% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Songkhla

$60 7.2%

George Town

$49 5.2% 17.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Songkhla and $709 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $25 in Songkhla vs $15 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $238 vs $241, with Songkhla cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Songkhla

🇲🇾 George Town

🕒 Local time

08:24 8:24 AM

09:24 9:24 AM

1 h ahead of Songkhla

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

61,758

794,313

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Songkhla George Town 200 km

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Songkhla
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 12% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Songkhla. 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: $239 in Songkhla versus $709 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 80% less than in Songkhla. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $837 per month in Songkhla versus $952 in George Town – Songkhla is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Songkhla and George Town are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Songkhla wins on affordability, George Town on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.