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 $905 per month in Bacau vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $1,838 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.8

$1.96 ฿65.9

498.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 210

$18.35 ฿617

149.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.40

$7.48 ฿252

9.09%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.55

$2.02 ฿67.8

13.86%

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

$2.20 RON 10.11

$0.85 ฿28.52

158.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.51

$0.36 ฿11.97

416.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.64

$2.14 ฿71.9

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.26

$3.59 ฿121

-1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.16

$1.65 ฿55.5

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.57 ฿52.7

-46.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.19 ฿40.05

43.70%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.82

$1.94 ฿65.1

89.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.22

$16.19 ฿545

-48.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.51

$2.99 ฿101

108.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.74

$10.94 ฿368

-16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$2.71 ฿91.2

-53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.43

$1.17 ฿39.27

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.94

$1.69 ฿56.8

2.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.60 ฿54.0

14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$1.38 ฿46.56

-32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.83

$1.20 ฿40.47

-30.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.67 ฿22.51

5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.56 ฿18.74

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.84

$4.64 ฿156

26.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.16

$17.62 ฿593

-62.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$1.86 ฿62.6

-53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.14

$3.30 ฿111

-59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.89

$0.88 ฿29.70

-28.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$19.34 ฿651

66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.85

$1.36 ฿45.92

-54.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.95

$1.34 ฿45.00

-52.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 34.12

$8.21 ฿276

-9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$1.22 ฿41.20

31.15%

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

$28.3K RON 129.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

32.39%

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

$26.7K RON 122.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

18.33%

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

$116 RON 532

$70.7 ฿2,378

64.04%

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

$8.53 RON 39.13

$14.04 ฿472

-39.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.14

$17.49 ฿589

-69.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$42.15 ฿1,418

-40.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$6.88 ฿231

239.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.22

$5.92 ฿199

15.03%

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

$654 RON 3,001

$309 ฿10.4K

112.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.3K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-62.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 415

$55.8 ฿1,876

62.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$26.11 ฿879

35.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 292

$83.0 ฿2,793

-23.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 454

$70.5 ฿2,371

40.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,492

$432 ฿14.5K

-24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 839

$239 ฿8,040

-23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,299

$822 ฿27.7K

-39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,677

$512 ฿17.2K

-28.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,382

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-4.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,581

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-17.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,687

$579 ฿19.5K

76.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau versus $432 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 76% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Bacau vs $243 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 $1,357 per month in Bacau and $1,292 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 $18.00 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 $905 in Bacau and $861 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 $905 in Bacau and $861 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.