Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iskenderun

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $965 in Iskenderun, rent and utilities included – about $360 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Iskenderun outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

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

Cost of Living Index in Iskenderun
Learn more

Iskenderun Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Iskenderun

🇹🇷 Turkey

$965

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $965 in Iskenderun, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Iskenderun $965

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,450 in Iskenderun, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Iskenderun $1,450

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,935 in Iskenderun, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Iskenderun $1,935

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$6.01 ₺301

-64.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$29.58 ₺1,480

-37.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$6.11 ₺306

-8.35%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.08 ₺154

-46.10%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$1.11 ₺55.7

-41.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.27 ₺13.51

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$2.39 ₺119

-2.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.63 ₺132

39.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.03 ₺51.5

96.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.78 ₺39.26

80.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.67 ₺83.5

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.85 ₺92.7

28.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$7.36 ₺368

124.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$3.92 ₺196

-31.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$17.71 ₺886

-49.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.62 ₺80.8

48.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.84 ₺92.1

-43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$0.85 ₺42.55

95.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.07 ₺53.5

45.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.49 ₺24.53

153.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.37 ₺18.65

194.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.84 ₺42.07

-9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.61 ₺30.42

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.11 ₺106

95.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$9.93 ₺497

80.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$2.32 ₺116

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$3.20 ₺160

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.66 ₺32.77

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.98 ₺49.27

20.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.92 ₺46.09

-81.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$10.06 ₺503

-82.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.25 ₺62.4

17.60%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$40.5K ₺2.0M

-48.10%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$41.4K ₺2.1M

-35.99%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$88.3 ₺4,417

-29.16%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$9.59 ₺480

20.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$10.35 ₺518

96.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$47.34 ₺2,368

-19.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$6.10 ₺305

6.72%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$443 ₺22.2K

63.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$7,098 ₺355.1K

133.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$53.4 ₺2,672

0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$28.94 ₺1,447

-14.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$113 ₺5,642

-19.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$108 ₺5,411

-33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$428 ₺21.4K

12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$321 ₺16.1K

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$704 ₺35.2K

50.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$508 ₺25.4K

29.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$1,128 ₺56.4K

114.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$950 ₺47.5K

69.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$1,122 ₺56.1K

-46.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-84.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Iskenderun: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Iskenderun

$321 33.3% 3.6% $11

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Iskenderun

$206 21.3% 13.1% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Iskenderun

$136 14.1% 26% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Iskenderun

$108 11.2% 14.6% $14

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Iskenderun

$126 13.1% 64.7% $50

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Iskenderun

$8.2 * 0.9% 86% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Iskenderun

$60 6.2% 17% $8.6

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 $428 in Iskenderun. 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 89% higher in Iskenderun. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Iskenderun. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Iskenderun – so Iskenderun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Iskenderun

🕒 Local time

17:11 5:11 PM

13:11 1:11 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

246,639

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 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 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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Iskenderun 6,380 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Iskenderun

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 Iskenderun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iskenderun 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 $1,448 in Iskenderun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iskenderun, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $428 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $30 in Iskenderun. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Iskenderun – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $965 in Iskenderun. 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 $935 in Chiang Mai to $965 in Iskenderun. 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, Iskenderun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.