Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Erzurum

For one person, living is cheaper in Erzurum: $910 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $310 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Erzurum, Turkey
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Erzurum
🇹🇷 Turkey
$910
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $910 in Erzurum, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Erzurum $910

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Erzurum, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Erzurum $1,443

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,976 in Erzurum, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Erzurum $1,976

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Erzurum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Erzurum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Erzurum 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$6.53 ₺327
-65.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$34.43 ₺1,721
-44.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$7.91 ₺395
-29.84%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$3.46 ₺173
-51.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$1.39 ₺69.3
-53.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$0.24 ₺11.91
29.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$2.94 ₺147
-19.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
$3.44 ₺172
6.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$0.96 ₺47.89
103.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$0.81 ₺40.59
77.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$2.46 ₺123
-45.93%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$1.90 ₺94.9
20.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
$9.11 ₺455
80.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$3.71 ₺185
-25.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$18.86 ₺943
-50.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
$1.76 ₺88.0
33.52%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
$1.79 ₺89.5
-45.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
$0.97 ₺48.32
64.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.18 ₺59.1
27.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
$0.43 ₺21.62
197.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
$0.43 ₺21.43
155.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
$0.87 ₺43.64
-18.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.66 ₺32.91
-25.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.13 ₺106
94.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
$9.17 ₺458
91.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
$1.74 ₺87.0
-7.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$2.68 ₺134
3.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$0.80 ₺40.05
8.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
$1.47 ₺73.3
-21.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$0.91 ₺45.65
-41.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$6.04 ₺302
-59.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.27 ₺63.4
14.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$45.6K ₺2.3M
-53.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$43.7K ₺2.2M
-38.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$61.5 ₺3,073
1.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$10.30 ₺515
18.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$15.74 ₺787
27.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$46.01 ₺2,300
-18.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$6.67 ₺333
-2.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$583 ₺29.2K
26.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$12.6K ₺630.8K
16.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
$40.14 ₺2,006
32.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
$35.53 ₺1,776
-30.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$85.9 ₺4,293
6.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$74.1 ₺3,702
-2.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$356 ₺17.8K
35.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$290 ₺14.5K
6.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$659 ₺32.9K
52.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
$553 ₺27.6K
14.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
$1,324 ₺66.2K
78.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$1,101 ₺55.0K
44.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Erzurum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$1,221 ₺61.0K
-51.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
41.33
-86.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Erzurum: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Erzurum
$290 6.2% $19
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Erzurum
$213 9.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Erzurum
$106 2.4% $2.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Erzurum
$88 7.3% $6.9
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Erzurum
$146 87.7% $68
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Erzurum
$9.2 * 84.9% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Erzurum
$59 18.1% $9.1

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 $356 in Erzurum. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Erzurum are about 2.1 times higher, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $34 in Erzurum. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $213 in Erzurum – so Erzurum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇷 Erzurum
🕒 Local time
16:02 4:02 PM
12:02 12:02 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
762,021
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 49.98 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 55.96 TRY (100 TRY = 1.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Erzurum 5,950 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Erzurum

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 Erzurum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Erzurum?
Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Erzurum, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 Erzurum?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,365 in Erzurum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Erzurum?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Erzurum, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $356 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Erzurum?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $34 in Erzurum. 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 Erzurum?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or in Erzurum?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $910 in Erzurum, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Erzurum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Erzurum?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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