We compared the cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and risk factors in patients with stage 3–5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those with diabetes mellitus by analyzing the MAGNET study data of residents in northern Taiwan. The reimbursement of lipid-lowering therapy was also examined. Of the 1607 participants, 63 (31 men) were found to have eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 and were defined as the CKD group. In parallel, 149 (73 men) were found to have diabetes. Compared to the diabetic group, the CKD group was older (61.4 ± 9.0 vs 58.0 ± 8.6 years, p < 0.05). Otherwise, the distribution of CVD, hypertension, and family history of CVD, as well as the levels of serum total cholesterol, LDL-C, were similar. We also found 46.0% of the CKD group can not be reimbursed for lipid-lowering therapy. In conclusion, the findings suggested that, in this population, the cardiovascular risk was similar between the CKD and diabetic subjects.