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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $970 per month in Manisa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Manisa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Manisa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manisa costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manisa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Manisa 28% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.41 ₺341

$1.94 ฿63.6

281.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 ₺891

$18.64 ฿609

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 ₺356

$7.82 ฿256

-1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ₺143

$1.95 ฿63.9

59.49%

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

$1.80 ₺82.6

$0.85 ฿27.80

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺22.72

$0.35 ฿11.60

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 ₺150

$2.13 ฿69.7

53.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 ₺178

$3.73 ฿122

3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 ₺40.18

$1.71 ฿56.0

-49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₺28.27

$1.63 ฿53.3

-61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ₺79.4

$1.14 ฿37.18

51.75%

Eggs

$1.84 ₺84.7

$1.93 ฿63.2

-4.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 ₺401

$16.21 ฿530

-46.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ₺280

$3.12 ฿102

95.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 ₺915

$10.90 ฿356

82.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₺59.7

$2.75 ฿90.1

-52.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₺88.4

$1.21 ฿39.56

58.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 ₺44.33

$1.62 ฿53.0

-40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₺51.5

$1.59 ฿51.9

-29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺34.09

$1.40 ฿45.75

-47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ₺27.83

$1.17 ฿38.20

-47.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₺33.38

$0.66 ฿21.62

10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₺10.27

$0.53 ฿17.24

-58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₺100

$4.69 ฿153

-53.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 ₺522

$18.66 ฿610

-39.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₺94.7

$1.80 ฿58.8

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₺116

$3.23 ฿106

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺28.74

$0.90 ฿29.28

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 ₺1,404

$19.21 ฿628

59.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.3

$1.41 ฿45.96

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺28.35

$1.29 ฿42.16

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 ₺352

$7.84 ฿256

-2.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺57.3

$1.27 ฿41.62

-1.57%

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

$49.3K ₺2.3M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

131.47%

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

$44.9K ₺2.1M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

102.31%

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

$47.60 ₺2,188

$69.1 ฿2,258

-31.08%

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

$5.65 ₺260

$14.08 ฿460

-59.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.31 ₺428

$18.00 ฿588

-48.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.19 ₺1,985

$41.06 ฿1,342

5.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₺201

$5.92 ฿193

-26.01%

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

$615 ₺28.3K

$299 ฿9,775

105.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,032 ₺415.1K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.30 ₺1,760

$54.7 ฿1,788

-29.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 ₺1,785

$26.77 ฿875

45.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 ₺4,001

$85.0 ฿2,778

2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.26 ₺1,988

$70.6 ฿2,308

-38.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₺22.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₺16.0K

$237 ฿7,759

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₺32.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

-11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 ₺26.4K

$515 ฿16.9K

11.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,927 ₺88.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-2.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,320 ₺60.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-10.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,110 ₺51.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

79.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.79

775.80%

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

Last update for Manisa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Manisa versus $428 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 80% higher in Manisa, 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 Manisa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $246 – making Manisa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated June 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Manisa costs about 12% 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 $1,455 per month in Manisa and $1,300 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 $615 per month in Manisa and $299 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 12% cheaper in Manisa – 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 $866, than in Manisa at $970. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manisa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $970 in Manisa. 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, Manisa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.