Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Elazig

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $966 in Elazig, rent and utilities included – about $360 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Elazig
Learn more

Elazig Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Elazig

🇹🇷 Turkey

$966

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $966 in Elazig, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Elazig $966

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,506 in Elazig, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Elazig $1,506

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,045 in Elazig, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Elazig $2,045

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Elazig, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Elazig are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Elazig 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$7.45 ₺371

-69.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$29.87 ₺1,489

-36.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$7.94 ₺396

-30.10%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.42 ₺170

-51.17%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.19 ₺59.1

-46.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.37 ₺18.26

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.90 ₺145

-18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.49 ₺174

4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.95 ₺47.28

105.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.89 ₺44.21

61.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.25 ₺112

-40.89%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.08 ₺104

9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$9.20 ₺459

78.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$4.05 ₺202

-31.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$20.08 ₺1,001

-53.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.80 ₺89.7

30.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.84 ₺91.7

-47.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.98 ₺48.72

63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.23 ₺61.5

21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.53 ₺26.17

141.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.42 ₺20.80

161.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.85 ₺42.61

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.64 ₺32.08

-23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.14 ₺106

93.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$9.96 ₺496

75.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.10 ₺105

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.89 ₺144

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.68 ₺33.83

27.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$10.07 ₺502

437.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$1.18 ₺59.0

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.85 ₺42.14

-37.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$6.53 ₺325

-62.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.29 ₺64.2

12.40%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$41.9K ₺2.1M

-49.72%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$39.0K ₺1.9M

-31.01%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$72.8 ₺3,627

-14.57%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$10.35 ₺516

17.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$13.83 ₺689

45.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$52.1 ₺2,596

-28.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.13 ₺306

5.87%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$619 ₺30.9K

18.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$11.1K ₺550.9K

33.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$45.18 ₺2,251

18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$36.12 ₺1,800

-31.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$89.4 ₺4,454

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$77.0 ₺3,836

-6.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$411 ₺20.5K

17.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$300 ₺14.9K

3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$770 ₺38.4K

30.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$557 ₺27.7K

13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,413 ₺70.4K

67.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,040 ₺51.8K

52.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$851 ₺42.4K

-30.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

41.42

-86.55%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Elazig: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Elazig

$300 31% 3% $9.3

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Elazig

$224 23.2% 4.6% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Elazig

$111 11.5% 2.6% $2.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Elazig

$97 10% 2.6% $2.5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Elazig

$152 15.7% 96% $75

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Elazig

$18 1.9% 70.3% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Elazig

$64 6.7% 28% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $411 in Elazig. 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 44% higher in Elazig. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Elazig. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Elazig – so Elazig wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Elazig

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

01:27 1:27 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

578,789

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 TRY = 2.01 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 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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Elazig 6,120 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Elazig

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 Elazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elazig costs about 3% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,449 in Elazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elazig, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $411 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $619 in Elazig. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Elazig – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $966 in Elazig. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $966 in Elazig. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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