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: $1,075 in Braila versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,660 in Braila versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,246 in Braila versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Braila is roughly 24% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Braila 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.57 RON 61.4

$1.98 ฿64.3

585.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.96 RON 212

$18.80 ฿612

149.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 RON 37.28

$7.75 ฿252

6.32%

Cappuccino

$2.78 RON 12.57

$1.92 ฿62.5

44.79%

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

$1.92 RON 8.67

$0.79 ฿25.79

143.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$0.36 ฿11.62

383.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 RON 10.34

$2.21 ฿72.1

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 RON 14.70

$3.66 ฿119

-11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.09

$1.65 ฿53.8

-4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 RON 5.65

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.42

$1.19 ฿38.86

56.30%

Eggs

$3.44 RON 15.57

$2.00 ฿65.1

72.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 RON 38.05

$15.98 ฿520

-47.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 RON 30.16

$3.03 ฿98.5

120.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 RON 47.77

$10.86 ฿354

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.45

$2.76 ฿90.0

-56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.49

$1.18 ฿38.42

40.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.74

$1.64 ฿53.5

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.72

$1.52 ฿49.51

26.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.65

$1.38 ฿45.10

-41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.93

$1.19 ฿38.84

-8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 3.07

$0.70 ฿22.86

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.56 ฿18.13

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.05

$4.58 ฿149

25.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 RON 29.53

$16.56 ฿539

-60.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.86

$1.83 ฿59.5

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.56

$3.20 ฿104

-47.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 RON 2.95

$0.88 ฿28.56

-26.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 RON 73.1

$18.72 ฿610

-13.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$1.36 ฿44.16

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.75

$1.34 ฿43.65

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 RON 34.81

$7.84 ฿256

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.97

$1.23 ฿39.92

25.20%

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

$27.7K RON 125.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

28.27%

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

$27.9K RON 126.3K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

23.81%

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

$151 RON 684

$70.5 ฿2,298

114.47%

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

$7.79 RON 35.23

$13.68 ฿445

-43.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.98 RON 40.62

$17.45 ฿568

-48.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.16 RON 155

$41.33 ฿1,346

-17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.68 RON 61.9

$6.96 ฿227

96.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 RON 31.15

$5.77 ฿188

19.41%

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

$296 RON 1,341

$307 ฿10.0K

-3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,003 RON 31.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-52.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 RON 304

$55.8 ฿1,817

20.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 RON 250

$26.21 ฿854

111.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 RON 319

$85.8 ฿2,793

-17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 RON 510

$72.2 ฿2,353

56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 RON 1,706

$430 ฿14.0K

-12.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 RON 1,378

$239 ฿7,774

27.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,611

$817 ฿26.6K

-29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 RON 2,106

$511 ฿16.6K

-8.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,963 RON 8,878

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-1.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,410 RON 6,379

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-4.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 RON 3,962

$619 ฿20.2K

41.56%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Braila and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Braila pays 42% 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 $241, 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 24% 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 42% 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: $377 in Braila versus $430 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 16% less than in Braila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $296 in Braila versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $869 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 24% less than in Braila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.