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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Bacau vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Bacau vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Bacau vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bacau costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 RON 52.5

$1.94 ฿63.5

497.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.83 RON 207

$18.64 ฿609

145.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 37.38

$7.82 ฿255

5.75%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.47

$1.95 ฿63.8

18.97%

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

$2.18 RON 9.85

$0.85 ฿27.77

156.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$0.35 ฿11.58

422.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$2.13 ฿69.6

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RON 16.45

$3.73 ฿122

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.20

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.63 ฿53.2

-45.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.14 ฿37.15

50.88%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.12

$1.93 ฿63.1

96.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 RON 37.84

$16.21 ฿530

-48.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 RON 27.73

$3.12 ฿102

96.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 RON 42.69

$10.90 ฿356

-13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.66

$2.75 ฿90.0

-54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.21 ฿39.52

29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.62 ฿53.0

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.70

$1.59 ฿51.8

21.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$1.40 ฿45.70

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$1.17 ฿38.17

-28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.66 ฿21.60

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.55

$0.53 ฿17.22

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 25.71

$4.69 ฿153

21.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.37

$18.66 ฿609

-63.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.80 ฿58.8

-51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$3.23 ฿106

-58.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.85

$0.90 ฿29.26

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.81 RON 144

$19.21 ฿628

65.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$1.41 ฿45.91

-56.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.71

$1.29 ฿42.12

-53.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 RON 34.85

$7.84 ฿256

-1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.27 ฿41.58

24.41%

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

$28.1K RON 127.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.14%

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

$26.8K RON 121.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

20.51%

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

$114 RON 516

$69.1 ฿2,256

65.12%

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

$8.19 RON 37.03

$14.08 ฿460

-41.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.23 RON 23.62

$18.00 ฿588

-70.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.17 RON 114

$41.06 ฿1,341

-38.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 RON 106

$6.96 ฿227

235.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 30.61

$5.92 ฿193

14.36%

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

$654 RON 2,958

$299 ฿9,766

118.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 RON 24.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-63.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 409

$54.7 ฿1,787

65.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 RON 161

$26.77 ฿874

33.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$85.0 ฿2,776

-26.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 RON 444

$70.6 ฿2,306

39.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 RON 1,449

$428 ฿14.0K

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 RON 844

$237 ฿7,752

-21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 RON 2,290

$801 ฿26.2K

-36.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 RON 1,662

$515 ฿16.8K

-28.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,893 RON 8,559

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-4.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 RON 5,612

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-15.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,020 RON 4,609

$617 ฿20.2K

65.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Bacau 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 65% higher in Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Bacau vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Bacau 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

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

Yes – Bacau is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,368 per month in Bacau 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bacau and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $912 in Bacau and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $912 in Bacau and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Bacau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.