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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in Kutahya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,555 in Kutahya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,214 in Kutahya, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Kutahya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kutahya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kutahya 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.87 ₺175

-49.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$15.26 ₺689

23.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.27 ₺328

8.94%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.24 ₺146

-41.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.04 ₺46.77

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.40 ₺17.84

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.28 ₺148

-32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.45 ₺156

10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.95 ₺42.76

72.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.69 ₺31.34

134.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.30 ₺104

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.29 ₺103

-12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.63 ₺435

65.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.96 ₺269

-49.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$19.17 ₺865

-43.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.52 ₺68.4

71.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.35 ₺106

-48.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.26 ₺56.9

34.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.54 ₺69.6

2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.72 ₺32.56

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.62 ₺27.91

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.08 ₺48.92

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.42 ₺19.12

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.21 ₺99.7

104.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.09 ₺501

64.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.09 ₺94.3

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.10 ₺140

4.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.67 ₺30.03

32.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$30.83 ₺1,392

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.85 ₺38.22

58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.65 ₺29.15

107.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.25 ₺282

32.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.19 ₺53.7

6.72%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$43.3K ₺2.0M

-51.09%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$43.8K ₺2.0M

-48.64%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$86.8 ₺3,920

-19.22%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.74 ₺485

28.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.79 ₺622

27.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$43.26 ₺1,953

-3.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.41 ₺289

-9.83%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$606 ₺27.3K

-49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$13.6K ₺614.5K

8.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$56.8 ₺2,564

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.99 ₺2,031

-41.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$108 ₺4,878

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$98.2 ₺4,433

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$284 ₺12.8K

49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$202 ₺9,122

17.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$892 ₺40.3K

-7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$700 ₺31.6K

-26.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,957 ₺223.8K

-58.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,698 ₺121.8K

-43.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$765 ₺34.5K

-16.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.4

-89.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $284 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 20% higher in Kutahya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Kutahya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $237 – making Kutahya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kutahya costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,346 in Kutahya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $606 in Kutahya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Kutahya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $897 in Kutahya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $897 in Kutahya. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kutahya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.