Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kayseri

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Kayseri: $925 and $913 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Kayseri
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Kayseri Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Kayseri

🇹🇷 Turkey

$913

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $913 in Kayseri, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Kayseri $913

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,396 in Kayseri, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Kayseri $1,396

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,879 in Kayseri, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Kayseri $1,879

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kayseri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kayseri are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kayseri 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$7.17 ₺355

-68.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$20.09 ₺994

-2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.86 ₺340

-18.22%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$3.12 ₺154

-46.79%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.29 ₺63.9

-45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.27 ₺13.49

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.46 ₺122

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.74 ₺136

35.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.98 ₺48.73

98.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.89 ₺44.31

58.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.78 ₺88.1

-26.40%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.05 ₺101

6.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$9.42 ₺466

76.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$3.98 ₺197

-30.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$17.82 ₺882

-48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.61 ₺79.9

48.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.79 ₺88.6

-42.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.85 ₺42.29

91.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.31 ₺64.9

14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.41 ₺20.45

214.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.38 ₺18.77

192.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.85 ₺41.90

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.65 ₺32.25

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.00 ₺98.9

115.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$9.96 ₺493

80.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.20 ₺109

-28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.75 ₺136

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.73 ₺36.08

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$22.22 ₺1,100

139.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$2.52 ₺125

-51.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.51 ₺25.48

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$9.90 ₺490

-76.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.26 ₺62.3

14.29%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$41.8K ₺2.1M

-50.46%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$39.5K ₺2.0M

-32.21%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$69.3 ₺3,432

-10.08%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$9.14 ₺453

32.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$11.26 ₺558

77.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$56.9 ₺2,817

-34.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$5.10 ₺252

-25.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.89 ₺242

32.92%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$365 ₺18.1K

116.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,122 ₺352.6K

107.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$54.8 ₺2,711

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$29.64 ₺1,468

-16.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$112 ₺5,522

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$56.1 ₺2,778

26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$376 ₺18.6K

21.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$259 ₺12.8K

14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$672 ₺33.3K

35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$458 ₺22.7K

20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$948 ₺46.9K

103.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$661 ₺32.7K

118.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$949 ₺47.0K

-37.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

41.5

-86.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Kayseri: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Kayseri

$259 28.4% 12.9% $39

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Kayseri

$214 23.5% 9.1% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Kayseri

$113 12.4% 4.9% $5.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Kayseri

$90 9.8% 4.9% $4.7

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Kayseri

$139 15.3% 77.3% $61

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kayseri

$30 3.3% 50.3% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kayseri

$67 7.3% 33.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $376 in Kayseri. 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 61% higher in Kayseri, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Kayseri. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Kayseri – so Kayseri wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Kayseri

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

15:24 3:24 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,389,680

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kayseri 6,440 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kayseri

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 Kayseri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kayseri, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,369 in Kayseri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $365 in Kayseri. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kayseri, where all-in costs run around $913, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Kayseri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kayseri costs $913 versus $925 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 Kayseri. 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.