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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $891 in Tuzla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,315 in Tuzla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,738 in Tuzla, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Tuzla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.24 BAM 8.98

-62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$29.47 BAM 50.5

-37.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.84 BAM 10.01

28.08%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.67 BAM 2.85

20.96%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.75 BAM 3.00

-51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.06 BAM 1.81

-66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.40 BAM 4.11

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.09 BAM 3.58

71.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.17 BAM 2.00

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.02 BAM 1.74

53.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.11 BAM 3.61

-43.60%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.54 BAM 4.34

-23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.07 BAM 13.82

100.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.56 BAM 12.95

-60.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.65 BAM 18.23

2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.13 BAM 1.93

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.48 BAM 2.54

14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.17 BAM 2.00

36.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.92 BAM 1.57

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.90 BAM 1.55

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.83 BAM 1.41

-19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.70 BAM 1.20

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.71 BAM 6.35

25.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.00 BAM 6.85

340.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.76 BAM 1.31

144.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$0.94 BAM 1.62

251.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.49 BAM 2.55

-40.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$47.53 BAM 81.4

-59.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.76 BAM 3.01

-22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.56 BAM 0.95

139.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.03 BAM 10.32

36.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.45 BAM 2.49

-15.86%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$29.4K BAM 50.4K

-27.40%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$23.5K BAM 40.3K

-4.32%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$139 BAM 239

-49.30%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$18.26 BAM 31.27

-23.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$26.70 BAM 45.73

-34.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$31.24 BAM 53.5

34.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$8.98 BAM 15.38

-23.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.82 BAM 9.96

1.72%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$170 BAM 291

81.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,385 BAM 4,085

523.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$70.0 BAM 120

-20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$40.65 BAM 69.6

-35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$85.8 BAM 147

-3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$74.8 BAM 128

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$263 BAM 450

64.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$192 BAM 328

24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$351 BAM 602

134.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$263 BAM 450

94.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,489 BAM 4,264

-23.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,807 BAM 3,095

-18.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$953 BAM 1,632

-39.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

18.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tuzla: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $263 in Tuzla. 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 64% higher in Tuzla, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Tuzla. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Tuzla – so Tuzla 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 Tuzla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuzla costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,336 in Tuzla. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $170 in Tuzla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Tuzla – 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $891 in Tuzla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $891 in Tuzla. 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, Tuzla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.