Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gebze

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $974 in Gebze, rent and utilities included – about $470 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Gebze, Turkey
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Gebze
🇹🇷 Turkey
$974
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $974 in Gebze, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Gebze $974

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Gebze, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Gebze $1,532

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,089 in Gebze, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Gebze $2,089

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Gebze, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Gebze are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Gebze 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.7
$5.92 ₺296
-64.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿625
$30.42 ₺1,522
-38.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿188
$8.13 ₺407
-31.12%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.9
$3.86 ₺193
-56.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.73
$1.05 ₺52.6
-38.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.24
$0.37 ₺18.67
-18.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.0
$2.37 ₺118
-2.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$3.03 ₺151
21.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.7
$1.00 ₺49.90
102.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.29
$0.80 ₺39.94
76.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.75
$2.24 ₺112
-37.95%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.5
$2.64 ₺132
-10.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿555
$10.52 ₺526
57.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.7
$4.76 ₺238
-43.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿303
$19.21 ₺961
-53.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.6
$1.78 ₺88.8
34.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.98
$1.94 ₺96.9
-46.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.7
$1.06 ₺53.0
56.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.4
$1.32 ₺66.0
18.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.57
$0.58 ₺29.18
113.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.50
$0.38 ₺19.09
186.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.59
$0.83 ₺41.76
-8.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.27
$0.67 ₺33.61
-23.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$2.06 ₺103
100.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿602
$13.94 ₺697
28.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.5
$2.05 ₺103
-20.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.8
$2.38 ₺119
18.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.39
$0.79 ₺39.59
17.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,777
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.52
$1.31 ₺65.6
-9.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.76
$1.07 ₺53.6
-84.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$8.54 ₺427
-78.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.47
$1.29 ₺64.6
13.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿705.8K
$46.9K ₺2.3M
-55.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿890.7K
$41.1K ₺2.1M
-35.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,101
$75.7 ₺3,789
-17.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿390
$11.20 ₺560
3.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿682
$14.76 ₺738
37.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,272
$49.24 ₺2,463
-23.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿219
$5.96 ₺298
9.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.4K
$603 ₺30.2K
20.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿556.7K
$11.0K ₺548.8K
51.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,798
$46.48 ₺2,325
15.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿833
$41.34 ₺2,068
-40.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,036
$81.8 ₺4,094
10.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,418
$97.4 ₺4,873
-26.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$366 ₺18.3K
31.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$301 ₺15.0K
3.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.5K
$717 ₺35.8K
47.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.1K
$588 ₺29.4K
11.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.2K
$1,303 ₺65.2K
85.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.0K
$900 ₺45.0K
78.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Gebze
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.0K
$1,310 ₺65.5K
-54.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
42.67
-86.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Gebze: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Gebze
$301 3% $9.2
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Gebze
$239 0.8% $2
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Gebze
$120 10.9% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Gebze
$102 7.7% $7.2
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Gebze
$142 85.1% $65
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Gebze
$9.8 * 83.2% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Gebze
$61 20.2% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $366 in Gebze. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Gebze are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Gebze. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $239 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇷 Gebze
🕒 Local time
17:11 5:11 PM
13:11 1:11 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
281,436
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.02 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.21 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Gebze 6,960 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Gebze

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 Gebze: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Gebze?
Gebze costs about 4% 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 Gebze?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,461 in Gebze. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Gebze?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gebze, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $366 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How much does it cost to live in Chiang Mai compared to Gebze?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $974 in Gebze. That makes Chiang Mai about 4% cheaper.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Gebze?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $30 in Gebze. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Gebze?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $974 in Gebze. 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 Gebze?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $974 in Gebze. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Gebze?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Gebze?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gebze makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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