Chiang Mai vs Istanbul Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Istanbul (Türkiye) · Overall index 38.0
Summary
- Overall, Istanbul is 46% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Istanbul is 94% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Istanbul is 44% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Istanbul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +94% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $834 | +75% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $681 | +110% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,641 | +104% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $1,017 | +88% |
| Groceries | +41% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.59 | +11% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.97 | +37% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $2.57 | +53% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $2.68 | +51% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $7.92 | +65% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $6.79 | +40% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $9.75 | +45% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $3.01 | +41% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.95 | +20% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.33 | +28% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $2.89 | +31% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.67 | +56% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.52 | +62% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.42 | +53% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.12 | +29% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $7.89 | +39% |
| Transport | +44% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1 | +41% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $46.8 | +23% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.8 | +62% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.89 | +59% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.4 | +38% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $12,051 | +42% |
| Dining out | +32% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $9.61 | +38% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $46.8 | +17% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $5.61 | +45% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $2.14 | +32% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.11 | +23% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $3.04 | +26% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $3.62 | +38% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.87 | +36% |
| Telecom | +42% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $37.5 | +51% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $40.2 | +51% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.18 | +20% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $8.91 | +46% |
| Utilities & household | +36% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $96 | +42% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.1 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $2.38 | +51% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.77 | +37% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $10.9 | +36% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $42.1 | +30% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $8.61 | +35% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $15.3 | +44% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $11.8 | +22% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,178 | +45% |
3,343 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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