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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Bursa versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Bursa versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Bursa versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bursa is roughly 23% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bursa 22% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ₺426

$1.95 ฿62.8

386.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ₺1,385

$18.43 ฿594

67.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 ₺336

$7.50 ฿241

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₺123

$1.93 ฿62.3

41.97%

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

$1.13 ₺50.7

$0.78 ฿25.08

44.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₺19.22

$0.32 ฿10.42

34.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₺95.8

$2.15 ฿69.2

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺100

$3.71 ฿120

-39.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 ₺41.95

$1.71 ฿55.2

-45.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₺35.02

$1.56 ฿50.3

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ₺87.9

$1.18 ฿38.06

65.25%

Eggs

$1.96 ₺88.0

$1.98 ฿63.9

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ₺425

$16.04 ฿517

-41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ₺261

$3.17 ฿102

83.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 ₺851

$10.94 ฿353

73.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₺66.7

$2.63 ฿84.7

-43.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$1.17 ฿37.61

95.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺57.8

$1.65 ฿53.0

-21.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₺70.3

$1.54 ฿49.51

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺33.37

$1.38 ฿44.34

-46.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₺20.60

$1.17 ฿37.54

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₺39.82

$0.66 ฿21.25

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₺12.40

$0.51 ฿16.55

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.7

$4.52 ฿146

-50.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 ₺496

$18.32 ฿590

-39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₺91.6

$1.80 ฿57.9

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₺89.7

$3.18 ฿102

-37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 ₺75.9

$0.90 ฿28.97

87.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.58 ₺2,184

$19.00 ฿612

155.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₺39.15

$1.41 ฿45.50

-38.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺27.66

$1.31 ฿42.15

-52.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₺401

$8.09 ฿261

10.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.28 ฿41.08

-5.47%

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

$41.4K ₺1.9M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

94.25%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

101.83%

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

$56.0 ₺2,516

$69.2 ฿2,230

-19.10%

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

$9.80 ₺441

$13.97 ฿450

-29.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.65 ₺524

$17.95 ฿578

-35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₺2,543

$42.31 ฿1,363

33.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.76 ₺1,697

$6.66 ฿214

466.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ₺353

$5.92 ฿191

32.60%

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

$375 ₺16.8K

$299 ฿9,640

25.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ₺812.3K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 ₺2,566

$56.2 ฿1,810

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 ₺1,961

$26.94 ฿868

61.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 ₺4,489

$84.9 ฿2,735

17.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₺3,676

$71.8 ฿2,314

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₺19.6K

$435 ฿14.0K

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₺15.5K

$240 ฿7,727

44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₺36.0K

$798 ฿25.7K

0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₺23.1K

$498 ฿16.1K

3.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,341 ₺60.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-32.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₺55.0K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-20.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 ₺47.4K

$628 ฿20.2K

67.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.62

752.40%

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

Last update for Bursa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Bursa and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bursa pays 68% 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: $31 in Bursa vs $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $244, with Bursa cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bursa pays 68% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Bursa versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bursa pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $31.00 in Bursa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $845 in Chiang Mai versus $1,041 in Bursa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bursa. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bursa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bursa and Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Bursa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.