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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,489 in Turgi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,420 in Turgi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7,352 in Turgi, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 76% cheaper than Turgi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Turgi is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$37.33 CHF 30.12

-94.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$144 CHF 116

-86.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$16.01 CHF 12.92

-50.91%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$6.60 CHF 5.33

-69.24%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$5.36 CHF 4.33

-85.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$4.28 CHF 3.45

-91.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$8.44 CHF 6.81

-74.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.58 CHF 6.12

-51.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.23 CHF 1.80

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$3.43 CHF 2.77

-54.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.37 CHF 1.91

-49.37%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$5.53 CHF 4.46

-64.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$30.76 CHF 24.83

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$34.75 CHF 28.04

-91.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$51.1 CHF 41.22

-78.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.29 CHF 1.85

20.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-47.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.85 CHF 2.30

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.32 CHF 1.87

-31.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.40 CHF 1.94

-42.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.32 CHF 1.87

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-74.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.23 CHF 0.99

-57.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.51 CHF 3.64

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.02 CHF 5.67

153.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.37 CHF 1.91

40.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$4.02 CHF 3.24

-77.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$97.1 CHF 78.3

-80.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$8.00 CHF 6.45

-82.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-69.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$88.8 CHF 71.6

-90.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-44.59%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.7K

-47.14%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$42.0K CHF 33.9K

-48.07%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$250 CHF 201

-71.43%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$73.4 CHF 59.2

-80.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$55.4 CHF 44.69

-67.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$88.6 CHF 71.5

-53.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$49.87 CHF 40.24

-86.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$21.84 CHF 17.62

-73.81%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$2,947 CHF 2,378

-89.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$43.1K CHF 34.7K

-65.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$139 CHF 112

-59.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$76.5 CHF 61.7

-65.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$133 CHF 107

-36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$161 CHF 130

-55.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$1,700 CHF 1,372

-75.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$2,787 CHF 2,249

-71.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$2,500 CHF 2,017

-79.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$14.9K CHF 12.0K

-87.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$13.0K CHF 10.5K

-88.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

100.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Turgi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $1,700 in Turgi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $144 in Turgi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $623 – making Chiang Mai 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 Turgi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turgi costs about 309% 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 $5,233 in Turgi. 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 $2,947 in Turgi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 155% more in Turgi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Turgi at $3,489. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turgi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $3,489 in Turgi. 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, Turgi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.