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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $967 per month in Malatya vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,478 per month in Malatya vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,988 per month in Malatya vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Malatya costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Malatya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Malatya 27% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ₺166

$2.04 ฿68.2

70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 ₺1,204

$18.71 ฿624

35.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ₺294

$7.86 ฿262

-21.37%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₺104

$2.03 ฿67.7

7.88%

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

$1.00 ₺47.35

$0.80 ฿26.64

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺18.62

$0.35 ฿11.68

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 ₺146

$2.14 ฿71.5

43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺161

$3.67 ฿122

-7.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺51.0

$1.73 ฿57.6

-38.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 ₺21.20

$1.57 ฿52.4

-71.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 ₺94.2

$1.20 ฿39.99

65.00%

Eggs

$2.72 ₺129

$1.97 ฿65.8

38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 ₺535

$16.23 ฿541

-30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ₺237

$3.06 ฿102

62.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.89 ₺993

$10.80 ฿360

93.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₺55.5

$2.77 ฿92.3

-57.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ₺95.6

$1.17 ฿38.94

71.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₺48.77

$1.71 ฿57.0

-39.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₺55.2

$1.59 ฿53.2

-27.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₺41.10

$1.39 ฿46.51

-38.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ₺35.50

$1.16 ฿38.56

-35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₺31.78

$0.66 ฿22.05

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₺18.29

$0.52 ฿17.31

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 ₺103

$4.65 ฿155

-53.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 ₺403

$17.78 ฿593

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ₺117

$1.79 ฿59.6

37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺165

$3.34 ฿111

3.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₺30.25

$0.91 ฿30.27

-29.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.23 ₺1,437

$18.64 ฿622

62.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺52.0

$1.41 ฿47.04

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₺29.11

$1.34 ฿44.70

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₺369

$8.11 ฿270

-4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₺51.6

$1.23 ฿41.16

-11.38%

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

$41.3K ₺2.0M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

92.52%

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

$44.3K ₺2.1M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

103.13%

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

$60.9 ₺2,896

$71.3 ฿2,379

-14.58%

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

$9.11 ₺433

$14.01 ฿467

-34.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.99 ₺427

$17.93 ฿598

-49.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.34 ₺2,060

$40.82 ฿1,362

6.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 ₺123

$5.72 ฿191

-54.90%

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

$620 ₺29.5K

$308 ฿10.3K

101.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,918 ₺423.9K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.98 ₺902

$55.8 ฿1,860

-65.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.48 ₺1,211

$26.04 ฿869

-2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₺3,630

$84.8 ฿2,829

-9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 ₺2,453

$71.0 ฿2,368

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 ₺24.3K

$423 ฿14.1K

20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ₺18.8K

$242 ฿8,088

63.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ₺41.7K

$797 ฿26.6K

10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₺33.5K

$507 ฿16.9K

39.04%

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)

$960 ₺45.6K

$595 ฿19.9K

61.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

840.00%

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

Last update for Malatya: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Malatya versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 61% higher in Malatya, 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 $25.00 in Malatya versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Malatya vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Malatya 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

Malatya vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malatya costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,451 per month in Malatya and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. 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 $620 per month in Malatya and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Malatya – 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 Malatya at $967. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malatya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $967 in Malatya. 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, Malatya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.