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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Tuzla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,311 in Tuzla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,728 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 35% lower, Tuzla 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.19 BAM 8.72

-62.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$29.66 BAM 49.83

-37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.06 BAM 10.17

29.04%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.67 BAM 2.80

16.77%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.79 BAM 3.02

-52.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.01 BAM 1.70

-65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.37 BAM 3.99

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.08 BAM 3.49

79.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.15 BAM 1.93

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.98 BAM 1.65

66.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.11 BAM 3.55

-45.97%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.68 BAM 4.51

-27.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.04 BAM 13.51

101.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.50 BAM 12.61

-58.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.67 BAM 17.93

2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.14 BAM 1.92

141.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.57 BAM 2.63

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.48 BAM 2.49

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.19 BAM 2.00

33.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.00 BAM 1.68

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.95 BAM 1.60

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.88 BAM 1.48

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.74 BAM 1.24

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.57 BAM 6.00

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.09 BAM 6.87

356.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.76 BAM 1.28

136.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.99 BAM 1.66

226.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.51 BAM 2.53

-40.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$47.22 BAM 79.3

-59.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-22.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.53 BAM 0.89

143.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.74 BAM 9.64

36.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.48 BAM 2.49

-14.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$30.0K BAM 50.5K

-29.15%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.8K BAM 39.9K

-6.51%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$137 BAM 230

-49.58%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.41 BAM 30.93

-23.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$26.56 BAM 44.62

-32.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.46 BAM 52.9

30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.78 BAM 14.75

-20.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.86 BAM 9.84

1.02%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$172 BAM 288

74.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,335 BAM 3,924

540.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$69.9 BAM 118

-21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$41.10 BAM 69.1

-34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$85.8 BAM 144

-0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$75.7 BAM 127

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$264 BAM 443

62.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$191 BAM 321

24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$351 BAM 590

128.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$264 BAM 444

94.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,577 BAM 4,330

-23.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,847 BAM 3,103

-20.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$973 BAM 1,635

-36.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tuzla: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $264 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 58% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Tuzla. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $192 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,341 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $172 in Tuzla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Tuzla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $894 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.