Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikesir and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikesir and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $903 per month in Balikesir vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Balikesir vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,040 per month in Balikesir vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Balikesir costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Balikesir and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Balikesir 32% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 ₺363

$2.04 ฿68.4

275.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.27 ₺1,244

$18.71 ฿626

40.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 ₺365

$7.86 ฿263

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₺119

$2.03 ฿67.9

23.65%

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

$0.93 ₺44.27

$0.80 ฿26.71

16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₺15.41

$0.35 ฿11.71

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ₺121

$2.14 ฿71.7

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₺170

$3.67 ฿123

-2.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 ₺43.71

$1.73 ฿57.8

-46.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₺24.65

$1.57 ฿52.5

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ₺59.3

$1.20 ฿40.10

4.17%

Eggs

$1.94 ₺92.1

$1.97 ฿66.0

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₺377

$16.23 ฿543

-51.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 ₺244

$3.06 ฿102

68.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 ₺837

$10.80 ฿361

63.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 ₺72.5

$2.77 ฿92.6

-44.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₺112

$1.17 ฿39.05

102.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ₺70.2

$1.71 ฿57.1

-13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₺72.9

$1.59 ฿53.3

-3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺31.95

$1.39 ฿46.63

-51.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₺31.04

$1.16 ฿38.67

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₺42.99

$0.66 ฿22.11

37.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.42

$0.52 ฿17.35

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 ₺109

$4.65 ฿155

-50.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 ₺506

$17.78 ฿595

-39.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺110

$1.79 ฿59.8

30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₺159

$3.34 ฿112

0.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺28.96

$0.91 ฿30.35

-32.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.13 ₺1,380

$18.64 ฿624

56.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ₺94.3

$1.41 ฿47.17

41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺28.97

$1.34 ฿44.82

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.99 ₺426

$8.11 ฿271

10.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺55.9

$1.23 ฿41.27

-4.07%

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

$41.3K ₺2.0M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

92.52%

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

$43.4K ₺2.1M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

98.82%

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

$63.9 ₺3,028

$71.3 ฿2,386

-10.36%

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

$12.00 ₺568

$14.01 ฿469

-14.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.98 ₺567

$17.93 ฿600

-33.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ₺2,691

$40.82 ฿1,365

39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 ₺590

$6.88 ฿230

81.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 ₺258

$5.72 ฿191

-4.90%

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

$838 ₺39.7K

$308 ฿10.3K

171.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 ₺252.1K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-63.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.93 ₺1,512

$55.8 ฿1,865

-42.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.04 ₺1,896

$26.04 ฿871

53.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 ₺4,179

$84.8 ฿2,837

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 ₺3,032

$71.0 ฿2,375

-9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₺20.0K

$423 ฿14.2K

-0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ₺12.2K

$242 ฿8,110

6.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 ₺42.1K

$797 ฿26.7K

11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₺27.9K

$507 ฿17.0K

16.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 ₺54.6K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-39.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$728 ₺34.5K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-50.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,132 ₺53.6K

$595 ฿19.9K

90.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

29.75

495.00%

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

Last update for Balikesir: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Balikesir versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Balikesir, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Balikesir versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Balikesir vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Balikesir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Balikesir vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikesir costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,354 per month in Balikesir and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $903 in Balikesir and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Balikesir at $903. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balikesir it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $903 in Balikesir. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balikesir makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.