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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $687 in Cahul versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Cahul versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,480 in Cahul versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 21% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 49% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 152

$1.98 ฿64.3

345.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.13 MDL 641

$18.80 ฿612

97.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 MDL 129

$7.75 ฿252

-3.35%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.11

$1.92 ฿62.5

-6.25%

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

$0.96 MDL 16.65

$0.79 ฿25.79

21.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.98

$0.36 ฿11.62

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.88

$2.21 ฿72.1

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MDL 39.89

$3.66 ฿119

-36.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.96

$1.65 ฿53.8

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.63

$1.63 ฿53.2

-65.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.75

$1.19 ฿38.86

25.21%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.93

$2.00 ฿65.1

24.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$15.98 ฿520

-35.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 92.2

$3.03 ฿98.5

76.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$10.86 ฿354

-19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.29

$2.76 ฿90.0

-69.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MDL 31.09

$1.18 ฿38.42

52.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.69

$1.64 ฿53.5

8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.58

$1.52 ฿49.51

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.09

$1.38 ฿45.10

-40.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.08

$1.19 ฿38.84

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.47

$0.70 ฿22.86

94.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.55

$0.56 ฿18.13

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 MDL 56.8

$4.58 ฿149

-28.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 MDL 77.9

$16.56 ฿539

-72.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.11

$1.83 ฿59.5

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.35

$3.20 ฿104

-39.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.72

$1.36 ฿44.16

47.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$1.34 ฿43.65

-79.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 91.5

$7.84 ฿256

-32.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.40

$1.23 ฿39.92

14.63%

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

$31.6K MDL 546.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

46.28%

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

$31.2K MDL 538.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

38.37%

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

$169 MDL 2,918

$70.5 ฿2,298

139.57%

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

$7.50 MDL 130

$13.68 ฿445

-45.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 MDL 184

$17.45 ฿568

-38.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 135

$5.77 ฿188

35.01%

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

$396 MDL 6,833

$307 ฿10.0K

28.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,663 MDL 132.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-47.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MDL 1,148

$55.8 ฿1,817

19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 MDL 932

$26.21 ฿854

105.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,972

$85.8 ฿2,793

33.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,081

$72.2 ฿2,353

66.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 MDL 8,941

$619 ฿20.2K

-16.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

84.80%

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

Last update for Cahul: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 20% 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: $37.00 in Cahul vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $241, with Cahul 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

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

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 26% 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.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 20% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $687 per month in Cahul versus $869 in Chiang Mai – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.