Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antakya

For one person, living is cheaper in Antakya: $815 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Antakya, Turkey
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Antakya
🇹🇷 Turkey
$815
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Antakya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Antakya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $815 in Antakya.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Antakya $815

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $1,309 in Antakya.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Antakya $1,309

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $1,803 in Antakya.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Antakya $1,803

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 15% more expensive than in Antakya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Antakya 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$4.69 ₺234
-52.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$36.73 ₺1,830
-48.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$7.50 ₺374
-26.00%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$3.30 ₺164
-49.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$1.06 ₺52.7
-39.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$0.33 ₺16.23
-6.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$3.29 ₺164
-28.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.72 ₺185
-1.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.90 ₺45.05
116.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$0.90 ₺44.99
60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$3.07 ₺153
-56.68%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.80 ₺89.8
26.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$8.84 ₺441
86.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$3.31 ₺165
-16.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$19.12 ₺953
-51.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$1.63 ₺81.4
44.17%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$1.52 ₺75.6
-36.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$0.84 ₺41.75
90.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$0.96 ₺47.71
56.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$0.58 ₺28.97
120.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$0.45 ₺22.18
144.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$0.76 ₺38.04
-6.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.59 ₺29.41
-16.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.10 ₺105
97.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$5.84 ₺291
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$2.23 ₺111
-27.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.96 ₺97.5
41.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$0.69 ₺34.51
26.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$0.71 ₺35.15
63.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$0.71 ₺35.26
-25.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$6.75 ₺336
-64.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.31 ₺65.1
10.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$41.0K ₺2.0M
-48.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$38.5K ₺1.9M
-30.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$29.68 ₺1,479
109.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$19.64 ₺979
-38.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$14.00 ₺698
43.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$53.0 ₺2,642
-29.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$5.45 ₺271
19.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$617 ₺30.8K
19.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$11.0K ₺546.2K
34.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$15.08 ₺752
253.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$8.05 ₺401
206.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$49.57 ₺2,470
84.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$30.13 ₺1,501
138.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$417 ₺20.8K
15.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$302 ₺15.1K
2.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$751 ₺37.4K
33.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$570 ₺28.4K
11.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$1,425 ₺71.0K
65.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$1,024 ₺51.0K
55.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Antakya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Antakya: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Antakya
$302 2.2% $6.7
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Antakya
$203 13.4% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Antakya
$46 57.4% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Antakya
$63 33% $31
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Antakya
$129 66.3% $51
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Antakya
$7 * 88.6% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Antakya
$64 27.1% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $417 in Antakya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $37 in Antakya. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $203, with Antakya cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇷 Antakya
🕒 Local time
01:06 1:06 AM
21:06 9:06 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
365,402
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Antakya 6,380 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Antakya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 15% in total monthly costs ($936 vs $815 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 $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $1,222 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: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $417 in Antakya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chiang Mai and Antakya?
Childcare runs $736 in Chiang Mai versus $617 in Antakya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $37 in Antakya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How far does $1,200 go in Chiang Mai compared to Antakya?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Antakya gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
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.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?