Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kahramanmaras

For one person, living is cheaper in Kahramanmaras: $717 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Kahramanmaras
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Kahramanmaras Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Kahramanmaras

🇹🇷 Turkey

$717

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Kahramanmaras $717

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Kahramanmaras $1,089

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,460 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Kahramanmaras $1,460

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Kahramanmaras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kahramanmaras are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kahramanmaras 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$4.88 ₺244

-56.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$11.82 ₺591

57.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$7.19 ₺359

-22.11%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$4.03 ₺202

-58.81%

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

$0.51 ₺25.73

27.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.19 ₺9.30

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

$2.03 ₺102

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$2.40 ₺120

52.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$0.83 ₺41.74

143.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

$0.86 ₺42.98

63.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

$1.59 ₺79.7

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.23 ₺61.5

92.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$8.25 ₺413

100.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$3.46 ₺173

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$15.71 ₺785

-42.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$1.71 ₺85.7

40.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$1.83 ₺91.3

-43.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$0.63 ₺31.72

163.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$0.87 ₺43.70

79.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

$0.39 ₺19.39

217.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

$0.35 ₺17.60

211.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$0.79 ₺39.60

-3.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

$0.62 ₺30.82

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$1.94 ₺97.2

112.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$2.17 ₺109

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.87 ₺143

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

$0.27 ₺13.34

244.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

$2.51 ₺126

-52.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

$1.31 ₺65.7

-87.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

$1.26 ₺62.7

16.67%

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

$39.8K ₺2.0M

-47.24%

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

$43.4K ₺2.2M

-38.93%

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

$39.35 ₺1,967

58.98%

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

$11.60 ฿392

$6.98 ₺349

66.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$10.18 ₺509

99.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$31.59 ₺1,579

19.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$21.63 ₺1,082

-82.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$4.35 ₺217

49.66%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$427 ₺21.4K

70.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

$9,604 ₺480.1K

72.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

$29.53 ₺1,476

81.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

$19.80 ₺990

25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

$59.5 ₺2,972

52.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$49.13 ₺2,456

46.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$306 ₺15.3K

57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$240 ₺12.0K

29.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$493 ₺24.6K

114.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$398 ₺19.9K

65.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$1,021 ₺51.0K

-41.73%

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 Kahramanmaras: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Kahramanmaras

$240 33.4% 22.6% $70

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Kahramanmaras

$173 * 24.1% 26.9% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Kahramanmaras

$71 9.9% 34.4% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kahramanmaras

$57 7.9% 40.2% $38

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Kahramanmaras

$127 17.7% 65.6% $50

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Kahramanmaras

$10 * 1.4% 82.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Kahramanmaras

$40 5.6% 20.8% $11

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 $306 in Kahramanmaras. 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 72% higher in Kahramanmaras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $12 in Kahramanmaras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $173 – making Kahramanmaras the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Kahramanmaras

🕒 Local time

01:55 1:55 AM

21:55 9:55 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,112,634

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.79 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 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 49.99 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 55.97 TRY (100 TRY = 1.79 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kahramanmaras 6,310 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kahramanmaras

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 Kahramanmaras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Kahramanmaras, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $1,076 in Kahramanmaras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kahramanmaras, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $306 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $12 in Kahramanmaras. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kahramanmaras, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Kahramanmaras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kahramanmaras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.