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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $868 in Isparta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,405 in Isparta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,942 in Isparta, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Isparta have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Isparta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Isparta 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$7.75 ₺358

-74.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$27.03 ₺1,251

-30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.57 ₺350

2.38%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.16 ₺146

-39.24%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.36 ₺62.9

-41.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.37 ₺16.96

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$4.80 ₺222

-53.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.24 ₺289

-41.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.97 ₺44.65

70.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.73 ₺33.58

123.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.35 ₺109

-49.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.93 ₺89.4

3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.44 ₺344

114.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.77 ₺267

-47.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$21.17 ₺979

-48.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.64 ₺75.7

68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.63 ₺122

-55.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.43 ₺66.3

14.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.61 ₺74.5

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.90 ₺41.80

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.76 ₺34.98

56.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.87 ₺40.15

-19.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.53 ₺24.69

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.15 ₺99.5

113.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.99 ₺509

50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.75 ₺127

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.28 ₺152

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.82 ₺38.05

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$30.49 ₺1,411

-38.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.11 ₺97.7

-35.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.65 ₺30.11

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.55 ₺349

3.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.14 ₺53.0

7.89%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$46.7K ₺2.2M

-53.66%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$47.5K ₺2.2M

-52.53%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.68 ₺1,928

69.24%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.38 ₺527

20.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$12.37 ₺572

41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$42.89 ₺1,984

-3.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.90 ₺227

17.76%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$259 ₺12.0K

18.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,880 ₺364.5K

85.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$51.6 ₺2,389

8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$73.5 ₺3,399

-64.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$116 ₺5,358

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$89.5 ₺4,139

-19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$184 ₺8,535

132.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$150 ₺6,939

59.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$451 ₺20.9K

81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$308 ₺14.3K

65.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$787 ₺36.4K

151.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$645 ₺29.9K

129.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,305 ₺60.4K

-52.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

36.83

-86.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Isparta: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $184 in Isparta. 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 111% higher in Isparta. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Isparta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $243 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Isparta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,302 in Isparta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Isparta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Isparta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Isparta. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $868 in Isparta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isparta costs $868 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Isparta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.