Which place is cheaper, Chiang Mai or Ankara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ankara or Chiang Mai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Ankara and Chiang Mai. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Ankara or Chiang Mai?
Ankara
Located at the heart of Turkey near Central Anatolia, Ankara is the capital city and second largest city in the country after Istanbul. Formerly known for its long-haired goats and textiles, the city has since developed into a metropolitan mix of modern cultures with historic landmarks.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is both the cultural center of northern Thailand and a launching point for trips into the rural areas, small towns, and lush jungles of the country's northern regions. Known for great food, historic temples, arts and crafts, and a lively night market, Chiang Mai is a very popular destination for travelers. In some areas, tourists and ex-pats dominate, but it's quite easy to get away from the tourist scene and into the real culture of Thailand, as Chiang Mai (and the surrounding countryside) is quite large.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Turkey, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Turkey, The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAnkara $111Chiang Mai $49
The average daily cost (per person) in Ankara is $111, while the average daily cost in Chiang Mai is $49. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Ankara and Chiang Mai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAnkara $54Chiang Mai $28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAnkara $108Chiang Mai $56
Compare Hotels in Ankara and Chiang Mai
Looking for a hotel in Ankara or Chiang Mai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Ankara Hotel Prices and Chiang Mai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ankara $35Chiang Mai $3.94
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Ankara
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Ankara:
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Metro Ride$0.04
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Short Taxi Ride$0.15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ankara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ankara:
- Ankara - Cappadocia Private Transfer (Mercedes Vito): $377
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Gordion Ancient City: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Kizilcahamam Town: $185
- Private Transfers Ankara City or Esenboga Airport to/from Beypazari Town: $185
- Ankara Private Transfer from central Ankara hotels to Ankara Airport (ESB): $113
- Private Transfer from Ankara Esenboga Airport (ESB) to Central Ankara: $113
- Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers to Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels: $107
- Ankara City Center (Cankaya,Kizilay) Hotels to Ankara Esenboga Airport transfers: $107
- Ankara Private Departure Transfer from City hotels to Airport: $75
- Private Transfers Between Ankara Esenboga Airport - Ankara City Centre: $75
- Ankara Esenboga Airport to Ankara City Hotels Private Arrival Transfer: $68
- Ankara Esenboğa Airport From/To City Center Private Transfer: $61
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$1.19
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Moped Rental$5.33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chiang Mai
Also for Chiang Mai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 2-Day Transfer Luang Prabang from Chiang Mai by Sleeper Bus : $92
- Chiang Mai #1 Way Private Car transfer to/from Bangkok City: $300
- Chiang Mai #Private Car transfer to/from Mae Sot: $216
- Chiang Mai : Sticky Waterfall transfer by van (half-day ): $29
- Chiang Mai Airport (CNX): One-Way Private Transfer: $18
- Chiang Mai Airport Departure – Private Transfer from Hotel to Airport: $14
- Chiang Mai Airport PRIVATE Arrival or Departure Transfer : $23
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Arrival Transfers: $10
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Departure Transfers: $10
- Chiang Mai Airport Private Transfer to Hotel Or From Hotel To Airport : $6.01
- Chiang Mai Half Day Tour: Sticky Waterfall & Hotel Transfer: $29
- Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Arrival Shared Transfer: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Ankara or Chiang Mai?
Prices for flights to both Chiang Mai and Ankara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAnkara $31Chiang Mai $11
Typical Food Prices in Ankara
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Ankara:
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A Quick Lunch$0.34
Typical Food Prices in Chiang Mai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Chiang Mai:
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Sit Down Dinner (for One)$5.78
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Roti Snack (Bread)$0.71
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Casual Breakfast$1.19
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.93
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Mangoes$0.89
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Coffee$1.48
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Cooking Morning Class Chiang Mai Visit Organic Garden and Market : $12
- Chiang Mai : Small Group Thai Cooking class with market tour: $19
- Traditional Khantoke Dinner and Show from Chiang Mai: $22
- Khantoke Dinner with Traditional Performance: $24
- Afternoon Cooking Class in Organic Garden in Chiang Mai: $25
- Half-Day Thai Cooking Class at Organic Farm in Chiang Mai: $25
- Half-day Thai Cooking Class from scratch by an Expert Chef: $27
- Evening Cooking Class and Local Market Visit: $27
- Cooking Class, Market and Thai Herbs Garden Tour: $27
- We Cook Thai Home Garden Cooking School: $27
- Private Virtual Thai Cooking Class: $28
- Half-Day Thai Cuisine Cooking Experience in Chiang Mai : $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ankara $32Chiang Mai $14
Typical Entertainment Prices in Ankara
Here are a few typical costs in Ankara for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Underground City$0.24
Tours and Activities in Ankara
Here are a few actual costs in Ankara for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ankara : Highlights Walking Tour: $50
- Ankara : Private Walking Tour With A Guide ( Private Tour ) : $34
- Ankara Private Walking Tour: $277
- Ankara Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $226
- Private Tour with a Local: $39
- Private Walking tour With A Guide (Private Tour): $33
- Half Day Private Tour in Ankara: $215
- Istanbul: Golden Horn & Bosphorus Day Cruise: $165
- Istanbul: Half-Day Tour with Topkapi Palace: $145
- Konya and Cappdocia Tour 3 Days-2 Nights from Ankara: $455
- Private Ankara City Tours by an Archaeologist Tour Guide : $280
- Private Tour: Ankara Sightseeing: $235
Typical Entertainment Prices in Chiang Mai
For Chiang Mai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Thai Cooking Class$39
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Doi Suthep Entrance Ticket$1.78
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Kratong Lessons$2.96
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Pedicure$4.45
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Chiang Mai Museum (for Two)$5.33
Tours and Activities in Chiang Mai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chiang Mai.
- Sights & Highlights Walking tour: $6.60
- Chiangmai: Temple Walking Tour with ex-monk, part 1.: $9.76
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Mae Ping River Cruise: $13
- Local Food and Markets Guided Walking Tour: $14
- 3 Hour Old City and Temples Guided Walking Tour: $14
- Chiangmai: Temple Walking Tour with ex-monk, part II: $15
- Historical and Culture Exploration Walking Tour: $15
- Chiang Mai Old City & Temples Guided Walking Tour - 3 Hrs: $15
- Art in Paradise Illusion Museum Entry Ticket: $15
- Chiang Mai Old City Twilight Walking Tour: $16
- Circuit Karting Experience at Chiang Mai Circuit - Go Kart: $18
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAnkara $14Chiang Mai $7.34
Typical Alcohol Prices in Chiang Mai
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Chiang Mai are as follows:
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Wine$2.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Chiang Mai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Chiang Mai:
- Chiang Mai Pub Crawl: The Best Nightlife in Town!: $11
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ankara and Chiang Mai, we can see that Ankara is more expensive. And not only is Chiang Mai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ankara is in Europe and Chiang Mai is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Chiang Mai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chiang Mai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ankara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ankara than you might in Chiang Mai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Ankara Expensive? and Is Chiang Mai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ankara or Chiang Mai?
Ankara has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Chiang Mai. When comparing the sizes of Ankara and Chiang Mai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.