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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Calafat vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in Calafat vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,048 per month in Calafat vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calafat costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calafat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calafat 21% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 RON 39.60

$1.96 ฿64.0

363.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.09 RON 184

$18.81 ฿615

123.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 RON 34.31

$7.92 ฿259

-0.63%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 9.89

$1.91 ฿62.6

18.85%

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

$0.88 RON 3.84

$0.84 ฿27.41

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 RON 3.94

$0.35 ฿11.51

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 RON 4.91

$2.21 ฿72.1

-48.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.24

$3.80 ฿124

-44.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 RON 5.62

$1.64 ฿53.5

-21.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 3.87

$1.62 ฿53.1

-45.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.38

$1.18 ฿38.62

23.73%

Eggs

$2.58 RON 11.25

$2.01 ฿65.8

28.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 RON 32.12

$15.89 ฿520

-53.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 RON 28.29

$3.01 ฿98.5

115.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 RON 30.65

$10.77 ฿352

-34.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.07

$2.61 ฿85.5

-55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.89

$1.22 ฿39.88

29.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.07

$1.70 ฿55.7

-18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.58 ฿51.5

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 RON 2.96

$1.32 ฿43.14

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.38

$1.17 ฿38.23

-34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.47

$0.67 ฿21.98

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.43

$0.56 ฿18.32

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 24.91

$4.53 ฿148

26.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 RON 27.22

$18.20 ฿595

-65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$1.83 ฿60.0

-47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 RON 8.97

$3.23 ฿106

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 2.95

$0.89 ฿29.00

-23.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.15 RON 87.9

$19.38 ฿634

3.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.47

$1.35 ฿44.20

-57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 RON 2.37

$1.35 ฿44.05

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 29.57

$8.25 ฿270

-17.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.75

$1.27 ฿41.64

22.05%

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

$28.1K RON 122.5K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

32.77%

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

$27.6K RON 120.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

22.84%

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

$211 RON 921

$70.2 ฿2,294

201.28%

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

$8.07 RON 35.20

$13.77 ฿450

-41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.09 RON 30.92

$17.60 ฿575

-59.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.04 RON 179

$41.57 ฿1,360

-1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 RON 82.3

$6.60 ฿216

185.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 RON 28.94

$5.78 ฿189

14.88%

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

$430 RON 1,873

$306 ฿10.0K

40.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,050 RON 39.5K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-38.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 RON 345

$54.4 ฿1,778

45.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 RON 163

$26.14 ฿855

42.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 RON 344

$84.5 ฿2,764

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 RON 373

$69.4 ฿2,270

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 RON 1,716

$424 ฿13.9K

-7.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 RON 1,261

$238 ฿7,788

21.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 RON 2,567

$825 ฿27.0K

-28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,920

$515 ฿16.8K

-14.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 RON 8,984

$2,049 ฿67.0K

0.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 RON 6,105

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-8.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$873 RON 3,808

$635 ฿20.8K

37.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Calafat: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Calafat versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Calafat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Calafat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Calafat vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Calafat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in Calafat, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 23% apart. Calafat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in Calafat and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,052 in Calafat and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in Calafat and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,052 in Calafat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calafat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.