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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,093 in Esenyurt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,658 in Esenyurt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,223 in Esenyurt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Esenyurt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Esenyurt are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Esenyurt 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$9.24 ₺438

-77.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$30.41 ₺1,440

-38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$7.69 ₺364

2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.87 ₺136

-29.27%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.17 ₺55.5

-31.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.39 ₺18.52

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.19 ₺104

-2.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.34 ₺111

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.93 ₺44.17

86.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.77 ₺36.28

103.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.94 ₺91.7

-38.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.88 ₺89.2

4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$9.27 ₺439

75.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.72 ₺271

-46.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$18.94 ₺897

-42.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.44 ₺68.4

92.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.29 ₺109

-48.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.30 ₺61.4

31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.63 ₺77.2

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.71 ₺33.64

95.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.46 ₺21.77

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.84 ₺39.97

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.30 ₺14.29

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.20 ₺104

111.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$12.53 ₺594

41.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.93 ₺91.5

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.09 ₺98.8

59.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.67 ₺31.50

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$30.82 ₺1,460

-39.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.94 ₺44.59

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.63 ₺29.86

112.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$8.77 ₺415

-7.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.19 ₺56.5

3.36%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$40.8K ₺1.9M

-47.43%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$43.4K ₺2.1M

-49.69%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$57.8 ₺2,740

23.32%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.77 ₺463

43.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$11.61 ₺550

54.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$42.75 ₺2,025

-4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.73 ₺366

-26.00%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$374 ₺17.7K

-17.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$18.0K ₺850.7K

-18.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$55.9 ₺2,646

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$43.99 ₺2,083

-40.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$104 ₺4,903

-18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$81.4 ₺3,855

-12.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$521 ₺24.7K

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$386 ₺18.3K

-37.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$877 ₺41.5K

-9.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$715 ₺33.9K

-29.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,487 ₺70.4K

29.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,031 ₺48.8K

42.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,366 ₺64.7K

-56.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.62

-88.27%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Esenyurt: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $521 in Esenyurt. 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 130% higher in Esenyurt, 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 $30.00 in Esenyurt. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Esenyurt – so Esenyurt 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 Esenyurt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esenyurt costs about 28% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,640 in Esenyurt. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $374 in Esenyurt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Esenyurt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Esenyurt at $1,093. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Esenyurt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,093 in Esenyurt. 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, Esenyurt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.