🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,037 in Antakya.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,578 in Antakya.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,120 in Antakya.
🙂Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 18% less than in Antakya, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai36% lower, Antakya23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$7.53₺340
-73.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$30.74₺1,387
-38.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$7.01₺317
12.98%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$3.74₺169
-48.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$1.16₺52.4
-27.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.37₺16.48
-5.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$3.64₺164
-39.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$3.46₺156
9.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.07₺48.49
53.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.44₺19.77
268.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.99₺90.0
-40.70%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.64₺119
-23.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$11.27₺509
40.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$4.94₺223
-39.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$21.12₺953
-49.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$1.20₺54.0
117.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$2.08₺94.0
-41.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.03₺46.71
65.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.16₺52.5
36.21%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$0.84₺37.97
57.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$0.76₺34.40
53.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$0.66₺29.70
1.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.38₺17.16
47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$2.11₺95.1
114.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$11.08₺500
64.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$2.55₺115
-28.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$3.62₺163
-10.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$0.68₺30.69
30.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$30.69₺1,385
-36.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$1.04₺47.08
29.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$0.65₺29.12
107.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$7.47₺337
10.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.08₺48.74
17.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$43.6K₺2.0M
-51.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$43.8K₺2.0M
-48.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$62.4₺2,816
12.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$8.90₺402
54.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$9.02₺407
95.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$43.81₺1,978
-5.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$2.51₺114
130.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$620₺28.0K
-50.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$8,729₺394.0K
69.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$18.93₺854
187.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$25.50₺1,151
2.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$76.3₺3,445
10.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$50.6₺2,286
37.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$509₺23.0K
-16.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$395₺17.8K
-39.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$889₺40.1K
-7.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$722₺32.6K
-28.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
$1,369₺61.8K
49.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
$892₺40.3K
70.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
15
-66.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Last update for Antakya: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $509 in Antakya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $31.00 in Antakya. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $237, 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 Antakya?
Chiang Mai and Antakya differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,037 including rent). Chiang Mai 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 $1,278 in Chiang Mai and $1,555 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 Antakya?
Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $509 in Antakya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Antakya pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $31.00 in Antakya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,037 in Antakya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Antakya. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Antakya. 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