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: $685 in Cahul versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,084 in Cahul versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,482 in Cahul versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 20% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 49% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 MDL 155

$2.04 ฿68.4

334.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.06 MDL 633

$18.71 ฿626

92.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 MDL 135

$7.86 ฿263

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.76

$2.03 ฿67.9

-7.88%

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

$0.98 MDL 17.11

$0.80 ฿26.71

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.44

$0.35 ฿11.71

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.38

$2.14 ฿71.7

-19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.80

$3.67 ฿123

-36.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.72

$1.73 ฿57.8

-28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.11

$1.57 ฿52.5

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.74

$1.20 ฿40.10

22.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 45.38

$1.97 ฿66.0

31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 MDL 184

$16.23 ฿543

-35.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 97.0

$3.06 ฿102

80.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 MDL 152

$10.80 ฿361

-19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$2.77 ฿92.6

-69.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 32.00

$1.17 ฿39.05

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MDL 29.99

$1.71 ฿57.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.84

$1.59 ฿53.3

35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.47

$1.39 ฿46.63

-41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.40

$1.16 ฿38.67

-49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.71

$0.66 ฿22.11

95.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.81

$0.52 ฿17.35

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.9

$4.65 ฿155

-29.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 80.2

$17.78 ฿595

-74.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 22.28

$1.79 ฿59.8

-29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 35.09

$3.34 ฿112

-40.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 35.33

$1.41 ฿47.17

42.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.38

$1.34 ฿44.82

-81.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 93.1

$8.11 ฿271

-34.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 25.25

$1.23 ฿41.27

17.07%

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

$32.5K MDL 570.2K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

51.65%

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

$31.6K MDL 554.5K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

44.83%

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

$174 MDL 3,055

$71.3 ฿2,386

144.16%

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

$7.66 MDL 134

$14.01 ฿469

-45.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.73 MDL 188

$17.93 ฿600

-40.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 137

$5.72 ฿191

36.19%

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

$395 MDL 6,932

$308 ฿10.3K

28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,490 MDL 131.4K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-48.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 MDL 1,168

$55.8 ฿1,865

19.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MDL 948

$26.04 ฿871

107.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,957

$84.8 ฿2,837

31.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,166

$71.0 ฿2,375

73.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 MDL 8,901

$595 ฿19.9K

-14.72%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 17% 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 $190 vs $244, 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 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.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Chiang Mai. 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 $685 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.

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 $685 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 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.