Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kutahya

For one person, living is cheaper in Kutahya: $837 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Kutahya
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Kutahya Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Kutahya

🇹🇷 Turkey

$837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $837 in Kutahya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Kutahya $837

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Kutahya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Kutahya $1,368

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,899 in Kutahya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Kutahya $1,899

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Kutahya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kutahya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kutahya 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$6.81 ₺341

-68.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$44.60 ₺2,231

-58.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$10.03 ₺502

-44.17%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.15 ₺158

-47.30%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.99 ₺49.43

-34.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.41 ₺20.64

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$4.99 ₺249

-53.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$6.52 ₺326

-43.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.18 ₺59.0

71.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.37 ₺18.48

281.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.53 ₺76.3

-9.15%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.41 ₺70.4

68.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$9.19 ₺460

79.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$2.64 ₺132

1.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$18.05 ₺903

-50.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$0.49 ₺24.46

389.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.85 ₺92.5

-43.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$0.67 ₺33.76

147.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.67 ₺33.38

132.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.29 ₺14.42

327.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.29 ₺14.45

275.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.48 ₺23.89

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.48 ₺23.89

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.22 ₺111

85.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$12.03 ₺602

49.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$2.23 ₺112

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$3.28 ₺164

-14.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.73 ₺36.32

27.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$24.74 ₺1,238

113.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.98 ₺49.21

20.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.31 ₺15.53

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$8.16 ₺408

-77.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.40 ₺69.9

5.00%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$47.0K ₺2.4M

-55.30%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$41.1K ₺2.1M

-35.45%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$102 ₺5,123

-38.91%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$10.90 ₺545

6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$14.99 ₺750

35.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$30.61 ₺1,531

23.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$19.67 ₺984

-81.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$6.03 ₺301

7.96%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$1,110 ₺55.5K

-34.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$22.6K ₺1.1M

-26.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$17.98 ₺900

197.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$20.17 ₺1,009

22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$80.1 ₺4,007

12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$97.1 ₺4,857

-25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$197 ₺9,870

143.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$180 ₺9,002

72.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$505 ₺25.3K

109.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$395 ₺19.8K

66.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,712 ₺135.7K

-10.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,547 ₺77.4K

3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$689 ₺34.4K

-13.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-86.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Kutahya

$180 21.5% 41.9% $130

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Kutahya

$193 23% 18.6% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Kutahya

$97 11.6% 10.5% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kutahya

$128 15.3% 35.8% $34

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Kutahya

$166 19.8% 117% $89

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Kutahya

$30 3.6% 48.6% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Kutahya

$43 5.1% 16.2% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $197 in Kutahya. 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 16% higher in Kutahya, 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 $45 in Kutahya. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $193 in Kutahya – so Kutahya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Kutahya

🕒 Local time

09:29 9:29 AM

05:29 5:29 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

573,642

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.02 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.31 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kutahya 6,910 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kutahya

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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Kutahya, 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 $1,255 in Kutahya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kutahya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $197 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,110 in Kutahya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $837 in Kutahya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $837 in Kutahya to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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