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 $988 per month in Bacau vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Bacau vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Bacau vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bacau costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 28% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 RON 55.1

$2.08 ฿68.4

487.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 RON 401

$19.64 ฿644

351.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 RON 38.89

$5.65 ฿186

52.39%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RON 9.22

$1.81 ฿59.2

12.71%

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

$2.05 RON 9.24

$0.71 ฿23.40

188.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.67

$0.32 ฿10.36

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$2.24 ฿73.4

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.13

$3.63 ฿119

-7.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.48

$1.96 ฿64.3

-15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.50 ฿49.29

-17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.34 ฿43.84

20.90%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$2.26 ฿74.3

45.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 RON 37.49

$16.26 ฿533

-48.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 RON 25.73

$2.95 ฿96.9

93.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.87

$9.94 ฿326

-2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$2.57 ฿84.4

-53.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.06 ฿34.66

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$1.61 ฿52.9

-6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.53

$1.52 ฿49.86

38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$1.27 ฿41.68

-44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$1.07 ฿34.99

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$0.72 ฿23.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.51 ฿16.69

54.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 RON 24.86

$4.19 ฿138

31.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.07

$17.87 ฿586

-63.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$1.69 ฿55.6

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$2.84 ฿93.1

-47.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.93 ฿30.36

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 RON 142

$53.9 ฿1,767

-41.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$1.23 ฿40.50

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.58 ฿18.92

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$2.42 ฿79.5

167.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.41 ฿46.34

34.75%

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

$29.8K RON 134.5K

$21.4K ฿703.6K

38.96%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$27.3K ฿896.8K

-4.80%

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

$111 RON 503

$63.7 ฿2,089

75.03%

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

$11.43 RON 51.6

$12.85 ฿422

-11.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 RON 23.03

$20.22 ฿663

-74.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 RON 123

$38.74 ฿1,271

-29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 RON 76.3

$3.97 ฿130

325.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 RON 40.03

$6.74 ฿221

31.60%

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

$422 RON 1,906

$778 ฿25.5K

-45.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 RON 27.5K

$14.6K ฿479.4K

-58.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 RON 341

$54.3 ฿1,781

38.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 RON 204

$25.45 ฿835

77.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 436

$94.3 ฿3,095

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 451

$73.4 ฿2,410

35.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,887

$490 ฿16.1K

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 RON 1,141

$289 ฿9,492

-12.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 RON 2,594

$894 ฿29.3K

-35.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,885

$517 ฿17.0K

-19.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 RON 8,610

$1,955 ฿64.1K

-2.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 RON 5,658

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-15.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 RON 4,560

$602 ฿19.8K

67.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

5.57

25.13%

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

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Bacau versus $490 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 68% 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 $89.0 in Bacau versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bacau vs $240 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 4%, 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 $1,482 per month in Bacau and $1,421 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 $89.0 in Bacau and $20.00 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 $988 in Bacau and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Bacau at $988. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bacau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.