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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $868 in Antakya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,349 in Antakya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,830 in Antakya.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 10% more expensive than in Antakya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Antakya 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.10 ฿69.3
$4.89 ₺237
-57.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.84 ฿656
$32.92 ₺1,599
-39.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.79 ฿191
$7.02 ₺341
-17.52%
Cappuccino
$1.83 ฿60.4
$3.23 ₺157
-43.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ฿25.61
$0.96 ₺46.70
-18.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.37
$0.24 ₺11.71
29.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 ฿77.2
$3.50 ₺170
-33.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 ฿122
$3.68 ₺179
0.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.03 ฿67.1
$0.87 ₺42.29
133.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 ฿52.7
$0.91 ₺44.33
75.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 ฿46.75
$2.65 ₺129
-46.42%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿71.9
$1.82 ₺88.5
19.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.91 ฿526
$9.00 ₺437
76.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.07 ฿102
$3.33 ₺162
-7.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.87 ฿326
$18.92 ₺919
-47.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 ฿86.8
$1.53 ₺74.4
71.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ฿36.19
$1.61 ₺78.3
-31.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿53.8
$0.80 ₺38.65
103.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿50.6
$0.93 ₺44.96
64.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.13
$0.59 ₺28.83
110.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 ฿37.37
$0.49 ₺23.70
130.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 ฿24.38
$0.81 ₺39.31
-8.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.48
$0.45 ₺21.62
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28 ฿141
$2.00 ₺97.0
114.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.97 ฿594
$8.08 ₺392
122.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿56.1
$2.32 ₺113
-26.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ฿95.7
$1.98 ₺96.4
46.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿31.13
$0.69 ₺33.47
36.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.3 ฿1,827
$32.77 ₺1,591
68.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.23 ฿40.76
$0.72 ₺34.98
70.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.66
$0.77 ₺37.46
-31.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.40 ฿79.3
$4.45 ₺216
-46.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.55
$1.25 ₺60.9
15.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿700.2K
$42.2K ₺2.1M
-49.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K ฿902.1K
$39.8K ₺1.9M
-31.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.9 ฿2,145
$31.44 ₺1,526
106.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.35 ฿441
$15.88 ₺771
-15.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.83 ฿688
$10.70 ₺520
94.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.42 ฿1,336
$45.68 ₺2,218
-11.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.95 ฿131
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿222
$3.67 ₺178
82.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$787 ฿26.0K
$627 ₺30.4K
25.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ฿499.6K
$11.7K ₺566.0K
29.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 ฿1,858
$15.63 ₺759
259.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.95 ฿824
$14.48 ₺703
72.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 ฿3,063
$54.4 ₺2,643
70.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.1 ฿2,482
$36.65 ₺1,779
104.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$484 ฿16.0K
$450 ₺21.9K
7.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$287 ฿9,491
$305 ₺14.8K
-5.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$910 ฿30.1K
$715 ₺34.7K
27.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$531 ฿17.5K
$514 ₺25.0K
3.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,980 ฿65.4K
$1,471 ₺71.4K
34.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,451 ฿47.9K
$1,168 ₺56.7K
24.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$605 ฿20.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
43
-87.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Antakya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $450 in Antakya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $33.00 in Antakya. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $204, with Antakya 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 Antakya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Chiang Mai and in Antakya?
Chiang Mai and Antakya differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $868 including rent). Antakya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Antakya?
You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,301 in Antakya 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 do apartment prices compare in Chiang Mai and in Antakya?
Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $450 in Antakya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Antakya – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $868 in Antakya versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antakya but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Antakya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Chiang Mai and Antakya?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Chiang Mai or Antakya safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Antakya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Chiang Mai or Antakya?
Expats usually find Antakya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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