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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,095 per month in Maltepe vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Maltepe vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,261 per month in Maltepe vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Maltepe costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maltepe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Maltepe 19% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 ₺527

$1.98 ฿64.3

475.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.07 ₺1,391

$18.80 ฿612

59.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ₺302

$7.75 ฿252

-15.87%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₺110

$1.92 ฿62.5

23.44%

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

$1.00 ₺46.23

$0.79 ฿25.79

26.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₺17.11

$0.36 ฿11.62

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ₺92.5

$2.21 ฿72.1

-9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₺119

$3.66 ฿119

-29.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ₺46.27

$1.65 ฿53.8

-39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₺31.88

$1.63 ฿53.2

-57.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$1.19 ฿38.86

84.03%

Eggs

$2.18 ₺101

$2.00 ฿65.1

9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 ₺440

$15.98 ฿520

-40.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 ₺227

$3.03 ฿98.5

62.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 ₺918

$10.86 ฿354

82.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺66.6

$2.76 ฿90.0

-47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ₺100

$1.18 ฿38.42

83.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.7

$1.64 ฿53.5

-21.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₺75.7

$1.52 ฿49.51

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺32.26

$1.38 ฿45.10

-49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺31.05

$1.19 ฿38.84

-43.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₺30.91

$0.70 ฿22.86

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺28.65

$0.56 ฿18.13

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 ₺98.1

$4.58 ฿149

-53.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 ₺495

$16.56 ฿539

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₺102

$1.83 ฿59.5

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₺146

$3.20 ฿104

-1.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺28.98

$0.88 ฿28.56

-28.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.26 ₺1,400

$18.72 ฿610

61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.76

$1.36 ฿44.16

-22.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺28.89

$1.34 ฿43.65

-53.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.83 ₺408

$7.84 ฿256

12.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺56.1

$1.23 ฿39.92

-1.63%

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

$46.2K ₺2.1M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

113.50%

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

$42.9K ₺2.0M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

90.34%

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

$62.4 ₺2,887

$70.5 ฿2,298

-11.53%

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

$11.58 ₺536

$13.68 ฿445

-15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 ₺589

$17.45 ฿568

-27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.99 ₺2,035

$41.33 ฿1,346

6.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ₺345

$5.77 ฿188

29.12%

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

$943 ₺43.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

207.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,949 ₺275.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-59.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.01 ₺1,851

$55.8 ฿1,817

-28.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.69 ₺2,114

$26.21 ฿854

74.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 ₺2,678

$85.8 ฿2,793

-32.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₺4,947

$72.2 ฿2,353

48.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₺23.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₺18.1K

$239 ฿7,774

63.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 ₺40.5K

$817 ฿26.6K

7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 ₺33.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,470 ₺68.0K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 ₺36.8K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-46.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

540.00%

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

Last update for Maltepe: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Maltepe versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Maltepe versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Maltepe vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Maltepe 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

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

Maltepe costs about 26% 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 $1,643 per month in Maltepe and $1,303 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 $943 per month in Maltepe and $307 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 4% cheaper in Maltepe – 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 $869, than in Maltepe at $1,095. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maltepe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,095 in Maltepe. 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, Maltepe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.