🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $686 in Cahul versus $852 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,082 in Cahul versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in Cahul versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Living in Cahul costs roughly 19% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul49% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.73MDL 151
$1.96฿63.6
345.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.23MDL 627
$18.81฿611
92.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.53MDL 130
$7.92฿258
-4.92%
Cappuccino
$1.88MDL 32.55
$1.91฿62.2
-1.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MDL 15.76
$0.84฿27.25
8.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70MDL 12.11
$0.35฿11.44
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.71MDL 29.62
$2.21฿71.7
-22.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31MDL 39.96
$3.80฿124
-39.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29MDL 22.25
$1.64฿53.2
-21.34%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52MDL 9.02
$1.62฿52.8
-67.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.52MDL 26.28
$1.18฿38.40
28.81%
Eggs
$2.63MDL 45.51
$2.01฿65.4
30.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.41MDL 180
$15.89฿517
-34.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.32MDL 92.2
$3.01฿98.0
76.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.09MDL 157
$10.77฿350
-15.60%
Apples(1kg)
$0.86MDL 14.81
$2.61฿85.0
-67.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.80MDL 31.20
$1.22฿39.65
47.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.73MDL 29.90
$1.70฿55.4
1.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16MDL 37.31
$1.58฿51.2
36.71%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76MDL 13.16
$1.32฿42.89
-42.42%
Onion(1kg)
$0.59MDL 10.22
$1.17฿38.01
-49.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32MDL 22.82
$0.67฿21.85
97.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87MDL 15.07
$0.56฿18.21
55.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.31MDL 57.2
$4.53฿147
-26.93%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.20฿592
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MDL 20.94
$1.83฿59.6
-33.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99MDL 34.53
$3.23฿105
-38.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.89฿28.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.38฿630
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.08MDL 35.94
$1.35฿43.95
54.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25MDL 4.28
$1.35฿43.79
-81.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.20MDL 90.1
$8.25฿268
-36.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.44MDL 24.91
$1.27฿41.40
13.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0KMDL 554.3K
$21.2K฿687.8K
51.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0KMDL 536.6K
$22.5K฿731.0K
37.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$172MDL 2,977
$70.2฿2,281
145.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.65MDL 132
$13.77฿448
-44.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.92MDL 189
$17.60฿572
-37.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$41.57฿1,352
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿215
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.66MDL 133
$5.78฿188
32.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$384MDL 6,649
$306฿9,953
25.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,684MDL 133.0K
$14.8K฿482.0K
-48.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.5MDL 1,133
$54.4฿1,768
20.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.7MDL 947
$26.14฿850
109.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112MDL 1,946
$84.5฿2,748
32.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122MDL 2,105
$69.4฿2,257
75.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$424฿13.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$238฿7,743
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$825฿26.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$515฿16.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,049฿66.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,523฿49.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cahul
Chiang Mai
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524MDL 9,068
$635฿20.6K
-17.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.24
5
84.80%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Cahul: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Chiang Mai pays 21% 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: $36.00 in Cahul vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $243, with Cahul cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Cahul vs Chiang Mai: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Cahul or Chiang Mai?
Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cahul or Chiang Mai?
On paper, Chiang Mai earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
Are groceries more expensive in Cahul or Chiang Mai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Cahul compared to Chiang Mai?
All in, you'll spend $686 per month in Cahul versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $800/month in Cahul or Chiang Mai?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Cahul gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cahul or Chiang Mai?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $686 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.
How safe is Cahul compared to Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Cahul 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.