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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Trabzon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,637 in Trabzon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,278 in Trabzon, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Trabzon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Trabzon are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Trabzon 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$10.29 ₺489

-80.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$20.40 ₺970

-8.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.12 ₺386

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.93 ₺139

-30.72%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.31 ₺62.0

-38.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.47 ₺22.20

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.57 ₺170

-40.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.84 ₺183

-4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.03 ₺48.82

67.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.04 ₺96.9

-23.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.98 ₺94.2

-39.39%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.57 ₺74.6

25.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$2.99 ₺142

442.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.98 ₺142

2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$19.44 ₺924

-44.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.05 ₺97.5

35.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.99 ₺94.5

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.94 ₺92.3

-11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.05 ₺97.6

-22.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.99 ₺94.4

-30.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.63 ₺30.17

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.99 ₺94.5

-66.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.53 ₺25.20

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.05 ₺97.3

126.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.12 ₺433

94.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.99 ₺142

-40.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.96 ₺141

12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.97 ₺46.25

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$27.45 ₺1,305

-32.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.01 ₺95.7

-29.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.66 ₺31.23

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.57 ₺360

7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.22 ₺57.9

0.82%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$43.9K ₺2.1M

-51.22%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$42.9K ₺2.0M

-49.18%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$49.82 ₺2,368

43.18%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$12.01 ₺571

16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.84 ₺706

20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.62 ₺1,693

14.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$18.02 ₺857

-61.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.87 ₺279

-2.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$615 ₺29.2K

-49.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,741 ₺415.5K

67.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$46.13 ₺2,192

20.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$26.70 ₺1,269

-2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$61.0 ₺2,898

39.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$29.90 ₺1,421

137.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$448 ₺21.3K

-5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$366 ₺17.4K

-33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$912 ₺43.3K

-12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$861 ₺40.9K

-41.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$900 ₺42.8K

-33.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-83.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Trabzon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $448 in Trabzon. 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 51% higher in Trabzon, 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 $20.00 in Trabzon. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $228 in Trabzon – so Trabzon 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 Trabzon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trabzon costs about 17% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,494 in Trabzon. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $615 in Trabzon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Trabzon – 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 Trabzon at $996. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trabzon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $996 in Trabzon. 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, Trabzon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.