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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 25.6% cheaper than Istanbul without rent, and 39.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 31.5% cheaper than Istanbul without rent, and 37.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.94 ฿62.8
$11.51 ₺453
-83.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.36 ฿594
$50.7 ₺1,993
-63.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.78 ฿252
$7.8 ₺307
-0.26%
Cappuccino
$1.96 ฿63.3
$3.45 ₺136
-43.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ฿27.01
$1.3 ₺51.3
-36.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.44
$0.5 ₺19.76
-30.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.1 ฿67.9
$3.87 ₺152
-45.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿121
$5.15 ₺203
-27.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ฿54.8
$1.06 ₺41.67
59.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$0.8 ₺31.57
103.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.2 ฿38.83
$2.28 ₺89.6
-47.37%
Eggs
$1.99 ฿64.5
$2.72 ₺107
-26.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.97 ฿517
$10.22 ₺402
56.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.14 ฿102
$6.59 ₺259
-52.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.94 ฿354
$19.78 ₺778
-44.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 ฿86.6
$1.52 ₺59.8
76.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.97
$2.27 ₺89.3
-48.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$1.34 ₺52.5
21.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ฿49.78
$1.58 ₺62.1
-2.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.23
$0.75 ₺29.42
78.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.78
$0.72 ₺28.32
62.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ฿21.52
$1.12 ₺44.24
-40.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿18.09
$0.58 ₺22.73
-3.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 ฿148
$2.22 ₺87.4
105.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.42 ฿596
$11.76 ₺463
56.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$2.13 ₺83.7
-15.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 ฿106
$3.18 ₺125
2.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿31.19
$0.67 ₺26.41
43.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.98 ฿614
$53.2 ₺2,092
-64.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ฿43.78
$1.04 ₺40.91
29.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.3 ฿42.14
$0.58 ₺22.99
124.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.24 ฿267
$8.92 ₺351
-7.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.97
$1.15 ₺45.26
7.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ฿699.5K
$45.1K ₺1.8M
-52.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.1K
$44K ₺1.7M
-50.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.2 ฿2,272
$71.3 ₺2,806
-1.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.18 ฿459
$12.14 ₺477
16.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.88 ฿579
$14.56 ₺573
22.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.29 ฿1,369
$61.8 ₺2,432
-31.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.73 ฿218
$18.54 ₺729
-63.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.7 ฿185
$7.64 ₺301
-25.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,969
$951 ₺37.4K
-67.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ฿487.6K
$18.3K ₺719.3K
-17.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 ฿1,822
$57.3 ₺2,255
-1.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.3 ฿851
$46.17 ₺1,816
-43.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ฿2,742
$112 ₺4,398
-24.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2 ฿2,336
$105 ₺4,146
-31.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14.1K
$946 ₺37.2K
-54.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$243 ฿7,854
$631 ₺24.8K
-61.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$807 ฿26.1K
$1,793 ₺70.5K
-54.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$499 ฿16.2K
$1,038 ₺40.8K
-51.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,195 ฿71K
$2,920 ₺114.9K
-24.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 ฿50.5K
$1,499 ₺59K
4.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$683 ฿22.1K
$965 ₺38K
-29.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
48.43
-89.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 3, 2025

Last update for Istanbul: November 3, 2025

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