Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kirikkale

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Kirikkale: $938 and $907 a month, rent and utilities included.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Kirikkale
🇹🇷 Turkey
$907
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Kirikkale, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • Kirikkale $907

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,451 in Kirikkale, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • Kirikkale $1,451

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,995 in Kirikkale, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • Kirikkale $1,995

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kirikkale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Kirikkale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Kirikkale 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$7.00 ₺347
-67.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$40.10 ₺1,985
-52.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$7.63 ₺378
-26.74%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$1.05 ₺52.0
63.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$0.63 ₺31.00
1.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$0.41 ₺20.26
-19.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
$3.23 ₺160
-26.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
$5.06 ₺250
-22.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$1.03 ₺50.8
99.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$0.97 ₺47.79
44.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$2.27 ₺112
-43.61%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$0.86 ₺42.49
161.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$7.78 ₺385
117.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$3.84 ₺190
-28.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$19.28 ₺955
-51.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$1.99 ₺98.4
20.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$1.87 ₺92.8
-45.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$1.17 ₺57.7
37.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$1.26 ₺62.5
20.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$0.50 ₺24.64
156.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$0.36 ₺17.62
208.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$0.93 ₺45.90
-22.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$0.71 ₺35.16
-26.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$2.18 ₺108
98.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
$14.43 ₺714
22.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.98 ₺97.8
-17.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
$3.63 ₺180
-21.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
$0.69 ₺33.93
23.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$1.13 ₺56.0
3.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$1.15 ₺56.9
-50.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$4.26 ₺211
-44.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$1.34 ₺66.2
8.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$43.2K ₺2.1M
-52.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$40.8K ₺2.0M
-34.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$43.96 ₺2,176
41.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$12.29 ₺608
-0.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$15.22 ₺753
31.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$54.1 ₺2,681
-29.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$6.25 ₺309
7.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$914 ₺45.3K
-12.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$14.6K ₺722.6K
1.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$47.03 ₺2,329
13.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$42.84 ₺2,121
-41.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$82.7 ₺4,093
10.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$74.3 ₺3,678
-1.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$425 ₺21.0K
9.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$301 ₺14.9K
1.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$782 ₺38.7K
17.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$560 ₺27.7K
-1.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
$1,432 ₺70.9K
33.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
$1,017 ₺50.4K
41.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kirikkale
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
39.8
-86.01%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kirikkale: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
Kirikkale
$301 1.2% $3.7
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
Kirikkale
$225 5.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Kirikkale
$111 1.4% $1.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
Kirikkale
$71 24.4% $23
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Kirikkale
$122 54.3% $43
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Kirikkale
$9.6 * 84.3% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Kirikkale
$67 29.8% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $425 in Kirikkale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Kirikkale. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $225 in Kirikkale – so Kirikkale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇷 Kirikkale
🕒 Local time
03:13 3:13 AM
23:13 11:13 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
351,684
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Kirikkale 6,610 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Kirikkale

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 Kirikkale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Kirikkale?
Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Kirikkale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Kirikkale?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,361 in Kirikkale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Kirikkale?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirikkale, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Kirikkale?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $40.00 in Kirikkale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Kirikkale?
Groceries cost about 6% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Kirikkale?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kirikkale, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kirikkale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Kirikkale?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kirikkale costs $907 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Kirikkale?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Kirikkale?
If budget matters most, go with Kirikkale. 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.

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