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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $971 in Malatya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,484 in Malatya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,998 in Malatya, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Malatya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Malatya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Malatya 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.53 ₺159

-44.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.22 ₺1,139

-25.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.21 ₺280

27.54%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.14 ₺96.8

-10.75%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.00 ₺45.18

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.36 ₺16.31

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.08 ₺139

-28.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.51 ₺158

8.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.09 ₺49.25

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.44 ₺19.90

268.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.05 ₺92.7

-42.44%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.66 ₺120

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.35 ₺512

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.92 ₺222

-38.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$20.66 ₺933

-47.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.17 ₺52.8

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.01 ₺90.8

-39.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.07 ₺48.22

58.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.20 ₺54.2

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.81 ₺36.78

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.74 ₺33.61

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.66 ₺29.88

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.38 ₺17.19

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.19 ₺98.9

106.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.01 ₺497

65.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.55 ₺115

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.47 ₺157

-6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.67 ₺30.15

32.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$31.07 ₺1,402

-37.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.05 ₺47.61

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.61 ₺27.32

121.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.49 ₺338

10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.08 ₺48.63

17.59%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$40.8K ₺1.8M

-48.18%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$45.2K ₺2.0M

-50.27%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$61.5 ₺2,776

14.07%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.00 ₺406

53.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$8.73 ₺394

101.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.83 ₺1,933

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.58 ₺117

124.03%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$602 ₺27.2K

-49.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,797 ₺397.1K

68.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$18.68 ₺843

191.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$24.91 ₺1,124

4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$74.9 ₺3,380

12.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$51.3 ₺2,313

35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$520 ₺23.5K

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$392 ₺17.7K

-39.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$889 ₺40.1K

-7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$713 ₺32.2K

-27.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$985 ₺44.4K

-35.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-89.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malatya: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $520 in Malatya. 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 55% higher in Malatya, 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 $25.00 in Malatya. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $236 in Malatya – so Malatya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malatya costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,456 in Malatya. 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 $602 in Malatya. 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 Malatya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Malatya at $971. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malatya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $971 in Malatya. 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, Malatya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.