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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Tulkarm vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Tulkarm vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Tulkarm vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tulkarm costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tulkarm and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Tulkarm 18% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.67 โ‚ช29.01
$1.95 เธฟ62.8
395.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.19 โ‚ช63.6
$18.43 เธฟ594
14.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.07 โ‚ช24.20
$7.50 เธฟ241
7.60%
Cappuccino
$2.81 โ‚ช8.42
$1.93 เธฟ62.3
45.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 โ‚ช2.41
$0.78 เธฟ25.08
2.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 โ‚ช1.69
$0.32 เธฟ10.42
75.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 โ‚ช17.36
$2.15 เธฟ69.2
169.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 โ‚ช16.58
$3.71 เธฟ120
49.06%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 โ‚ช6.57
$1.71 เธฟ55.2
28.07%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 โ‚ช2.36
$1.56 เธฟ50.3
-49.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.63 โ‚ช7.88
$1.18 เธฟ38.06
122.88%
Eggs
$2.23 โ‚ช6.68
$1.98 เธฟ63.9
12.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.61 โ‚ช22.84
$16.04 เธฟ517
-52.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.81 โ‚ช23.43
$3.17 เธฟ102
146.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.58 โ‚ช52.7
$10.94 เธฟ353
60.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 โ‚ช7.88
$2.63 เธฟ84.7
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 โ‚ช4.94
$1.17 เธฟ37.61
41.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 โ‚ช4.12
$1.65 เธฟ53.0
-16.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 โ‚ช4.49
$1.54 เธฟ49.51
-2.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 โ‚ช3.24
$1.38 เธฟ44.34
-21.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 โ‚ช4.13
$1.17 เธฟ37.54
17.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 โ‚ช4.35
$0.66 เธฟ21.25
119.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 โ‚ช2.57
$0.51 เธฟ16.55
68.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.12 โ‚ช24.37
$4.52 เธฟ146
79.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.51 โ‚ช52.5
$18.32 เธฟ590
-4.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 โ‚ช8.22
$1.80 เธฟ57.9
52.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 โ‚ช7.55
$3.18 เธฟ102
-20.75%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.75 โ‚ช8.24
$0.90 เธฟ28.97
205.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.5 โ‚ช211
$19.00 เธฟ612
271.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 โ‚ช8.51
$1.41 เธฟ45.50
101.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 โ‚ช6.56
$1.31 เธฟ42.15
67.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.05 โ‚ช42.16
$8.09 เธฟ261
73.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 โ‚ช5.87
$1.28 เธฟ41.08
53.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.7K โ‚ช119.1K
$21.3K เธฟ686.1K
86.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.7K โ‚ช140.0K
$21.7K เธฟ699.3K
114.97%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.0 โ‚ช261
$69.2 เธฟ2,230
25.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.56 โ‚ช55.7
$13.97 เธฟ450
32.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.59 โ‚ช140
$17.95 เธฟ578
159.55%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.08 โ‚ช111
$42.31 เธฟ1,363
-12.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.14 โ‚ช72.4
$6.66 เธฟ214
262.46%
Cinema Ticket
$8.56 โ‚ช25.68
$5.92 เธฟ191
44.59%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$118 โ‚ช353
$299 เธฟ9,640
-60.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,836 โ‚ช5,507
$14.8K เธฟ478.4K
-87.64%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6 โ‚ช185
$56.2 เธฟ1,810
9.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.59 โ‚ช116
$26.94 เธฟ868
43.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.2 โ‚ช265
$84.9 เธฟ2,735
3.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.7 โ‚ช221
$71.8 เธฟ2,314
2.56%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$284 โ‚ช851
$435 เธฟ14.0K
-34.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 โ‚ช679
$240 เธฟ7,727
-5.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$345 โ‚ช1,034
$798 เธฟ25.7K
-56.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$256 โ‚ช767
$498 เธฟ16.1K
-48.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,995 เธฟ64.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,532 เธฟ49.4K
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Tulkarm
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$628 เธฟ20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.62
5
12.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tulkarm: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Tulkarm versus $435 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 $21 in Tulkarm versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $244 โ€“ making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Tulkarm vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
Tulkarm costs about 31% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tulkarm vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Tulkarm and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Tulkarm and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Tulkarm and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Tulkarm, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Tulkarm at $1,105. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tulkarm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,105 in Tulkarm. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tulkarm compared to Chiang Mai?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Tulkarm or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tulkarm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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