Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Malatya

For one person, living is cheaper in Malatya: $687 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Malatya
Learn more

Malatya Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Malatya

🇹🇷 Turkey

$687

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $687 in Malatya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Malatya $687

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Malatya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Malatya $1,058

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,429 in Malatya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Malatya $1,429

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Malatya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Malatya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Malatya 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$4.74 ₺237

-55.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$29.59 ₺1,480

-37.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.27 ₺364

-22.97%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.56 ₺78.1

6.41%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$0.93 ₺46.35

-30.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$0.32 ₺15.81

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$2.21 ₺111

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.51 ₺176

4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.79 ₺39.47

155.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.76 ₺38.20

85.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.68 ₺134

-48.13%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$1.73 ₺86.4

36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$8.15 ₺408

102.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$2.28 ₺114

17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$15.99 ₺800

-43.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.61 ₺80.6

49.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.56 ₺78.2

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$0.79 ₺39.36

110.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.74 ₺37.04

110.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$0.39 ₺19.69

217.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$0.37 ₺18.62

194.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$0.51 ₺25.72

49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.48 ₺23.88

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$1.94 ₺97.1

112.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$11.94 ₺597

50.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.84 ₺92.2

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$2.14 ₺107

31.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$0.73 ₺36.73

61.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.69 ₺34.50

-75.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.33 ₺66.4

10.53%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$40.2K ₺2.0M

-47.72%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$40.5K ₺2.0M

-34.55%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$30.18 ₺1,510

107.29%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$10.13 ₺507

14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$14.05 ₺703

44.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$35.41 ₺1,771

6.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$5.23 ₺262

24.47%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$15.02 ₺751

256.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$71.1 ₺3,558

-65.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$50.1 ₺2,505

80.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$29.91 ₺1,496

140.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$332 ₺16.6K

44.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$217 ₺10.9K

42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$466 ₺23.3K

126.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$326 ₺16.3K

102.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$1,105 ₺55.3K

-46.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-87.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Malatya: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Malatya

$217 31.7% 29.8% $92

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Malatya

$188 27.4% 20.4% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Malatya

$75 10.9% 31% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Malatya

$54 7.9% 42.4% $40

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Malatya

$102 14.8% 32.6% $25

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Malatya

$4.2 * 0.6% 92.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Malatya

$46 6.7% 9.9% $5

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $332 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 86% higher in Malatya, 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 $30 in Malatya. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Malatya – so Malatya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇷 Malatya

🕒 Local time

05:08 5:08 AM

01:08 1:08 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

781,305

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 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 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 4, 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 Malatya 6,190 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Malatya

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 Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Malatya, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,030 in Malatya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malatya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $332 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $687 in Malatya. That makes Malatya about 27% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $687 in Malatya, 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 $687 in Malatya 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.