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: $649 in Cahul versus $950 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $953 in Cahul versus $1,430 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Cahul versus $1,909 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 32% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 53% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 153

$2.10 ฿69.4

323.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.72 MDL 407

$19.84 ฿656

19.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 MDL 186

$5.79 ฿192

86.70%

Cappuccino

$1.69 MDL 29.04

$1.83 ฿60.5

-7.65%

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

$1.15 MDL 19.66

$0.78 ฿25.63

47.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.66

$0.31 ฿10.38

80.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MDL 34.25

$2.34 ฿77.3

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 32.59

$3.70 ฿122

-48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.62

$2.03 ฿67.1

-34.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.04

$1.60 ฿52.8

-70.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MDL 28.21

$1.42 ฿46.80

15.49%

Eggs

$2.25 MDL 38.65

$2.18 ฿72.0

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 MDL 121

$15.91 ฿526

-55.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MDL 81.7

$3.07 ฿102

55.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 MDL 113

$9.87 ฿326

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.47

$2.63 ฿86.9

-61.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 MDL 40.90

$1.10 ฿36.23

116.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MDL 33.04

$1.63 ฿53.9

18.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.11

$1.53 ฿50.6

60.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.60

$1.24 ฿41.16

-36.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.24

$1.13 ฿37.40

-52.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.55

$0.74 ฿24.41

-40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MDL 9.47

$0.50 ฿16.50

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 58.0

$4.28 ฿142

-21.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MDL 79.0

$17.97 ฿594

-74.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.55

$1.70 ฿56.2

-15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MDL 34.48

$2.90 ฿95.8

-30.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 MDL 49.41

$1.23 ฿40.80

134.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.53 ฿17.67

-52.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MDL 101

$2.40 ฿79.4

145.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MDL 26.35

$1.44 ฿47.60

6.94%

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

$34.3K MDL 588.8K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

61.91%

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

$25.6K MDL 438.7K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-6.38%

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

$236 MDL 4,050

$64.9 ฿2,147

263.51%

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

$8.07 MDL 139

$13.35 ฿442

-39.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.47 MDL 197

$20.83 ฿689

-44.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 133

$6.71 ฿222

15.20%

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

$116 MDL 1,998

$787 ฿26.0K

-85.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,457 MDL 93.6K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-63.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.16 MDL 809

$56.2 ฿1,859

-16.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 MDL 980

$92.7 ฿3,066

-38.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MDL 901

$75.1 ฿2,484

-30.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 MDL 9,054

$605 ฿20.0K

-12.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

43.63%

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

Last update for Cahul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 15% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $242, 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 47% 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 15% 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 43% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Cahul versus $950 in Chiang Mai – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Cahul versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $649 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 47% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.