Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dalyan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,036 in Dalyan, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dalyan, Turkey
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Dalyan
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,036
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,036 in Dalyan, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Dalyan $1,036

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,623 in Dalyan, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Dalyan $1,623

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,209 in Dalyan, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Dalyan $2,209

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Dalyan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Dalyan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dalyan 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$10.03 ₺500
-77.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$35.78 ₺1,782
-46.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$8.60 ₺428
-35.47%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$3.70 ₺184
-54.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$1.51 ₺75.4
-57.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$0.57 ₺28.52
-45.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$3.52 ₺175
-32.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
$5.03 ₺250
-27.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$1.13 ₺56.2
72.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$1.06 ₺52.9
35.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$2.39 ₺119
-44.35%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$2.52 ₺125
-9.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
$9.23 ₺460
78.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$5.13 ₺255
-45.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$21.16 ₺1,054
-56.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
$2.03 ₺101
15.76%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
$2.18 ₺109
-55.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
$1.06 ₺52.6
50.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.39 ₺69.4
7.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
$0.54 ₺27.14
137.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
$0.42 ₺20.75
161.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
$1.11 ₺55.4
-36.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.76 ₺37.75
-35.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.25 ₺112
84.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
$11.27 ₺561
55.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
$2.01 ₺100.0
-19.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$3.00 ₺149
-7.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$0.68 ₺33.82
27.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
$1.19 ₺59.0
-2.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$1.02 ₺50.7
-48.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$5.44 ₺271
-55.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.35 ₺67.3
7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$47.0K ₺2.3M
-55.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$43.3K ₺2.2M
-37.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$84.6 ₺4,215
-26.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$10.50 ₺523
15.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$15.99 ₺796
25.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$52.8 ₺2,629
-29.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$8.03 ₺400
-19.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$687 ₺34.2K
7.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$14.3K ₺713.3K
3.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
$46.20 ₺2,301
15.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
$37.35 ₺1,860
-34.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$91.1 ₺4,536
0.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$81.2 ₺4,044
-11.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$414 ₺20.6K
16.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$299 ₺14.9K
3.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$776 ₺38.7K
29.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
$551 ₺27.4K
14.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
$1,410 ₺70.2K
67.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$1,031 ₺51.3K
54.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Dalyan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
42.33
-86.84%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dalyan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Dalyan
$299 3.4% $10
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Dalyan
$247 5.5% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Dalyan
$115 6% $6.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Dalyan
$111 17.7% $17
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Dalyan
$186 140% $109
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Dalyan
$9 * 85.3% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Dalyan
$69 37% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $414 in Dalyan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $36 in Dalyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $247 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇷 Dalyan
🕒 Local time
21:54 9:54 PM
17:54 5:54 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
5,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 49.8 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.58 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Dalyan 7,050 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Dalyan

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 Dalyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Dalyan?
Dalyan costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Dalyan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,555 in Dalyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Dalyan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dalyan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Dalyan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $36 in Dalyan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Dalyan?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Dalyan, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Dalyan?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,036 in Dalyan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Dalyan?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,036 in Dalyan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Dalyan?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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