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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,102 in Braila versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,688 in Braila versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Braila versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Braila is roughly 29% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Braila 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 RON 60.4

$1.96 ฿63.6

608.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 RON 203

$18.81 ฿611

148.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 RON 35.89

$7.92 ฿258

4.17%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 11.66

$1.91 ฿62.2

40.31%

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

$1.93 RON 8.42

$0.84 ฿27.25

129.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.64

$0.35 ฿11.44

402.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 9.84

$2.21 ฿71.7

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 RON 14.06

$3.80 ฿124

-15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.64 ฿53.2

-4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.66

$1.62 ฿52.8

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.03

$1.18 ฿38.40

56.78%

Eggs

$3.50 RON 15.22

$2.01 ฿65.4

74.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 RON 36.59

$15.89 ฿517

-47.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 RON 27.71

$3.01 ฿98.0

111.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 RON 45.22

$10.77 ฿350

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.47

$2.61 ฿85.0

-51.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.40

$1.22 ฿39.65

39.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.49

$1.70 ฿55.4

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.00

$1.58 ฿51.2

16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.69

$1.32 ฿42.89

-35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.79

$1.17 ฿38.01

-5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$0.67 ฿21.85

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.49

$0.56 ฿18.21

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 RON 25.78

$4.53 ฿147

30.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 RON 28.79

$18.20 ฿592

-63.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.68

$1.83 ฿59.6

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 RON 7.02

$3.23 ฿105

-50.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$0.89 ฿28.83

-31.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.06 RON 69.9

$19.38 ฿630

-17.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 3.89

$1.35 ฿43.95

-34.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.80

$1.35 ฿43.79

-52.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 RON 33.49

$8.25 ฿268

-6.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.76

$1.27 ฿41.40

22.05%

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

$27.6K RON 120.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

30.67%

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

$27.7K RON 120.5K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

23.19%

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

$154 RON 669

$70.2 ฿2,281

119.12%

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

$7.88 RON 34.29

$13.77 ฿448

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 RON 40.23

$17.60 ฿572

-47.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.04 RON 152

$41.57 ฿1,352

-15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 RON 59.5

$6.60 ฿215

107.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 RON 29.84

$5.78 ฿188

18.69%

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

$300 RON 1,306

$306 ฿9,953

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,941 RON 30.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-53.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 RON 293

$54.4 ฿1,768

23.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 RON 239

$26.14 ฿850

110.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 RON 313

$84.5 ฿2,748

-14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 RON 497

$69.4 ฿2,257

64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 RON 1,658

$424 ฿13.8K

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 RON 1,344

$238 ฿7,743

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 RON 2,480

$825 ฿26.8K

-30.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 RON 2,001

$515 ฿16.7K

-10.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,065 RON 8,984

$2,049 ฿66.6K

0.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 RON 6,337

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-4.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$912 RON 3,966

$635 ฿20.6K

43.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

35.60%

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

Last update for Braila: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Braila and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Braila pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Braila vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $243, with Braila cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Braila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Braila pays 44% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $381 in Braila versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 21% less than in Braila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $300 in Braila versus $306 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,102 in Braila, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Braila. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Braila and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Braila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.