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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $900 in Balikesir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,488 in Balikesir, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,075 in Balikesir, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Balikesir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Balikesir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Balikesir 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$7.54 ₺340

-74.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$26.23 ₺1,184

-28.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.54 ₺340

5.04%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.42 ₺109

-21.07%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.95 ₺42.98

-11.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.33 ₺14.85

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.49 ₺112

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.52 ₺159

7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 ₺44.32

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.53 ₺24.05

205.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.26 ₺57.0

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.94 ₺87.4

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.60 ₺343

109.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.08 ₺229

-40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$17.89 ₺808

-39.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.58 ₺71.5

65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.35 ₺106

-48.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.42 ₺64.1

19.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.55 ₺69.8

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.67 ₺30.32

97.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.60 ₺27.23

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.92 ₺41.64

-27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.53 ₺24.10

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.23 ₺101

103.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.05 ₺454

81.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.33 ₺105

-21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.25 ₺147

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.66 ₺29.60

34.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$28.89 ₺1,304

-32.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.99 ₺89.8

-32.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.64 ₺29.01

110.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$9.05 ₺408

-8.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.17 ₺53.0

8.55%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$41.1K ₺1.9M

-48.54%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$44.4K ₺2.0M

-49.37%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$63.8 ₺2,879

9.99%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$11.68 ₺527

17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$11.62 ₺525

51.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$58.2 ₺2,627

-28.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$12.67 ₺572

-47.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.31 ₺240

8.85%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$838 ₺37.8K

-63.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,344 ₺241.2K

177.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$32.05 ₺1,447

69.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$40.84 ₺1,844

-35.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$88.5 ₺3,996

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$62.9 ₺2,840

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$418 ₺18.9K

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$252 ₺11.4K

-5.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$882 ₺39.8K

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$593 ₺26.8K

-13.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,336 ₺60.3K

53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$851 ₺38.4K

78.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$978 ₺44.1K

-35.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

29.75

-83.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $418 in Balikesir. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Balikesir, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Balikesir. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Balikesir – so Balikesir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikesir costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,350 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $900 in Balikesir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Balikesir at $900. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balikesir it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $900 in Balikesir. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balikesir makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.