Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Balikesir

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Balikesir: $938 and $931 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Balikesir
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Balikesir Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Balikesir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Balikesir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $931 in Balikesir, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Balikesir $931

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,462 in Balikesir, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Balikesir $1,462

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,993 in Balikesir, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Balikesir $1,993

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Balikesir are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Balikesir 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$7.19 ₺356

-68.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$28.26 ₺1,399

-32.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.59 ₺376

-26.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.45 ₺171

-50.14%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.36 ₺67.2

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.35 ₺17.49

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$3.20 ₺158

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$4.24 ₺210

-8.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.90 ₺44.56

127.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.95 ₺46.92

47.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$2.15 ₺106

-40.47%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.00 ₺98.9

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$8.05 ₺398

110.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$3.94 ₺195

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$18.19 ₺901

-48.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.84 ₺91.3

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.89 ₺93.4

-46.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.12 ₺55.6

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.03 ₺51.1

47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.50 ₺24.60

156.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.38 ₺18.87

192.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.85 ₺41.90

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.70 ₺34.84

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.01 ₺99.4

115.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$10.01 ₺496

77.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.05 ₺102

-20.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$3.31 ₺164

-13.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.63 ₺31.36

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$40.21 ₺1,991

34.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.10 ₺54.2

6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.09 ₺54.0

-47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$4.19 ₺207

-43.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.33 ₺65.7

9.02%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$42.6K ₺2.1M

-51.89%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$40.2K ₺2.0M

-34.08%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$62.5 ₺3,096

-0.32%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$12.06 ₺597

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$14.87 ₺736

34.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$42.71 ₺2,115

-11.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$29.82 ₺1,477

-87.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$4.01 ₺198

67.33%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$474 ₺23.5K

68.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$12.2K ₺603.6K

21.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$24.30 ₺1,203

119.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$16.36 ₺810

53.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$82.3 ₺4,075

11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$50.4 ₺2,496

45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$378 ₺18.7K

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$296 ₺14.7K

2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$801 ₺39.6K

14.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$550 ₺27.2K

0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,149 ₺56.9K

66.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$801 ₺39.7K

79.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,289 ₺63.8K

-53.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.8

-86.01%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Balikesir

$296 31.8% 2.8% $8.5

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Balikesir

$215 23.1% 9.8% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Balikesir

$78 8.4% 28.8% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Balikesir

$89 9.6% 5.4% $5.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Balikesir

$153 16.4% 93.7% $74

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Balikesir

$49 5.3% 19.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Balikesir

$51 5.5% 1.2% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $378 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 117% higher in Balikesir, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Balikesir. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $215 in Balikesir – so Balikesir wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Balikesir

🕒 Local time

08:43 8:43 AM

04:43 4:43 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,196,170

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Balikesir 7,090 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Balikesir

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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,397 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balikesir, 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 $938 in Chiang Mai and $931 in Balikesir. That's a gap of about 1%.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikesir costs $931 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. 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 Balikesir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.