🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,056 in Afyonkarahisar.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,653 in Afyonkarahisar.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,250 in Afyonkarahisar.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 18% less than in Afyonkarahisar, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai35% lower, Afyonkarahisar21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94฿63.5
$6.49₺298
-70.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.64฿609
$38.78₺1,782
-51.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.82฿255
$6.77₺311
15.51%
Cappuccino
$1.95฿63.8
$2.47₺113
-21.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85฿27.77
$0.66₺30.19
28.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.58
$0.31₺14.33
12.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13฿69.6
$1.61₺74.1
32.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿122
$2.35₺108
58.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71฿56.0
$1.01₺46.20
69.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$0.86₺39.73
89.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.14฿37.15
$2.24₺103
-49.11%
Eggs
$1.93฿63.1
$2.21₺102
-12.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.21฿530
$10.86₺499
49.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.12฿102
$6.25₺287
-50.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.90฿356
$18.15₺834
-39.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75฿90.0
$1.19₺54.8
131.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21฿39.52
$2.09₺96.2
-42.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿53.0
$1.10₺50.7
47.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
$1.26₺57.8
26.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40฿45.70
$0.69₺31.67
102.90%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.17
$0.53₺24.40
120.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66฿21.60
$0.88₺40.23
-25.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.22
$0.37₺16.88
43.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.69฿153
$2.17₺99.5
116.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.66฿609
$10.97₺504
70.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80฿58.8
$2.13₺97.9
-15.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$2.88₺132
12.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90฿29.26
$0.63₺29.09
42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.21฿628
$30.86₺1,418
-37.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41฿45.91
$0.74₺33.83
90.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29฿42.12
$0.62₺28.44
108.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$5.76₺265
36.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.58
$1.24₺57.1
2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K฿694.9K
$66.2K₺3.0M
-67.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K฿725.4K
$54.9K₺2.5M
-59.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.1฿2,256
$74.5₺3,421
-7.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.08฿460
$9.90₺455
42.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00฿588
$13.74₺631
31.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.06฿1,341
$43.50₺1,999
-5.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.92฿193
$5.82₺267
1.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$299฿9,766
$658₺30.2K
-54.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K฿488.3K
$10.7K₺491.2K
39.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7฿1,787
$57.8₺2,655
-5.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.77฿874
$35.79₺1,645
-25.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0฿2,776
$104₺4,776
-18.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.6฿2,306
$78.7₺3,614
-10.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$428฿14.0K
$503₺23.1K
-14.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237฿7,752
$391₺18.0K
-39.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801฿26.2K
$875₺40.2K
-8.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$703₺32.3K
-26.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,975฿64.5K
$1,454₺66.8K
35.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,475฿48.2K
$1,002₺46.0K
47.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Afyonkarahisar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$617฿20.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
30.12
-83.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026
Last update for Afyonkarahisar: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $503 in Afyonkarahisar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $39.00 in Afyonkarahisar. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $233, with Afyonkarahisar 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
Chiang Mai vs Afyonkarahisar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Afyonkarahisar?
Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Afyonkarahisar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Afyonkarahisar?
You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,584 in Afyonkarahisar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiang Mai vs Afyonkarahisar?
Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $503 in Afyonkarahisar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Afyonkarahisar?
Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $658 in Afyonkarahisar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Afyonkarahisar?
Shoppers in Afyonkarahisar pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Afyonkarahisar?
At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,056 in Afyonkarahisar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Afyonkarahisar. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Afyonkarahisar?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Afyonkarahisar?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Afyonkarahisar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Afyonkarahisar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared