# City Pricing Review Draft - Phase 2

**Prepared:** August 14, 2026  
**Status:** Internal evidence review. These are source inputs, not website prices.

## Thailand

| City | Current evidence | Assessment for Route Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai | Current 2026 visitor example: USD 40 basic apartment/guesthouse, USD 20 local meals, USD 8 transit, USD 12 activities, USD 20 misc per day. Separate resident model: USD 85-105/day including healthcare/insurance. Hotels run roughly USD 30-80/night. | Strong. Build a short-stay model that excludes insurance and clearly states accommodation season. |
| Phuket | Current six-year resident evidence: basic 1BR plus local food, scooter, utilities and small discretionary budget around THB 50K monthly in non-tourist areas. | Good long-stay baseline, but needs direct 30-day furnished lodging by season before a public total. |
| Pattaya | Current sources place a comfortable resident lifestyle at THB 45K-65K/month, with documented rooms beginning around THB 8K but very wide lifestyle variation. | Usable background. Need neutral activity evidence that does not treat nightlife as a default. |
| Hua Hin | Current solo model is explicitly a clean 1BR, mostly local food, rental motorbike, and low entertainment. | Good fit for the site's audience. Extract the full component table before calculating a visitor range. |

Sources:

- https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/retirement-planning/how-far-your-money-goes-in-2026s-best-value-destinations
- https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/happy-retirement/most-valuable-vacation-destinations-for-retirees-in-2026
- https://phuketexpatguide.com/blog/phuket-monthly-budget-expats/
- https://fredproperty.com/articles/cost-of-living-pattaya-2026
- https://huahinexpats.co/monthly-budget-living-hua-hin/

## Vietnam

| City | Current evidence | Assessment for Route Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Da Nang | The initial review range is USD 900-1,300 for a practical solo exploration month. Several current sources support a USD 700 shoestring floor and about USD 1,200-1,300 comfort range. | Ready for review. |
| Hoi An | Current 2026 guide: USD 1,000-2,000/month for expat/remote-worker lifestyle; local food USD 250-300/month. Current travel guide lists guesthouse/hotel accommodation USD 15.20-38/day and food VND 150K-250K/day, excluding travel to Hoi An. | Strong short-stay components. Add local transport and activity checks, then prepare a range. |
| Nha Trang | Current 2026 guide gives USD 1,200 as a comfortable single-expat benchmark. Another current guide lists a sea-view flat from about USD 310 monthly, but this is a long-stay figure. | Strong resident baseline. Use only after a 30-day lodging source is included. |

Sources:

- https://www.vietnamrelocate.com/monthly-budget-in-da-nang-2026/
- https://expatguide.site/vietnam/daily-life/cost-of-living-hoi-an-2026/
- https://nashaplaneta.net/asia/vietnam/hoian_en
- https://www.vietnamrelocate.com/monthly-budget-in-nha-trang-2026/
- https://vietnamspot.ru/en/blog/nha-trang-prices

## Malaysia

| City | Current evidence | Assessment for Route Builder |
|---|---|---|
| George Town / Penang | Current budget traveler range RM 3K-4K/month includes modest lodging, hawker food, local transport and basic entertainment. | Ready for review; USD should be shown through live conversion. |
| Kuala Lumpur | Current single-expat model: RM 6K-8K comfortable, RM 3.5K-5.5K budget. Local current discussion gives a one-bedroom with pool around RM 1,100/month and food around RM 50/day for one person. | Strong components. Need confirmation from an independent short-stay lodging source. |
| Kota Kinabalu | Current data: studio/1BR RM 800-1,500; food RM 600-800 lower or RM 1K-1.5K higher. Current local foreign-tenant reporting says transport requires private car/Grab/limited buses, not KL-style transit. | Strong city components. Build a higher transport allowance than Kuala Lumpur. |

Sources:

- https://www.visitpenang.com/living-in-penang/cost-of-living
- https://www.visitpenang.com/guides/expat-guide
- https://rumavi.com/en/property-guides/living-in-kuala-lumpur
- https://www.reddit.com/r/KualaLumpur/comments/1sig105/area_to_stay_in_kl_for_a_month/
- https://sabahguide.com/living/cost-of-living/
- https://malaysia4u.com/cost-of-living-kota-kinabalu

## Phase 2 recommendation

Prepare detailed component tables next for Chiang Mai, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Kuala Lumpur,
and Kota Kinabalu. Phuket, Pattaya, and Hua Hin should remain clearly marked as
long-stay evidence until current 30-day furnished accommodation is verified.