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 $1,039 per month in Calafat vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,539 per month in Calafat vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,038 per month in Calafat vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Calafat costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calafat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Calafat 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 RON 41.62

$2.04 ฿68.2

348.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.16 RON 192

$18.71 ฿624

125.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 RON 35.73

$7.86 ฿262

Cappuccino

$2.35 RON 10.70

$2.03 ฿67.7

15.76%

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

$0.88 RON 4.00

$0.80 ฿26.64

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$0.35 ฿11.68

154.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 RON 5.09

$2.14 ฿71.5

-47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RON 9.46

$3.67 ฿122

-43.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RON 5.89

$1.73 ฿57.6

-24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$1.57 ฿52.4

-46.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.76

$1.20 ฿39.99

24.17%

Eggs

$2.50 RON 11.35

$1.97 ฿65.8

26.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 RON 34.57

$16.23 ฿541

-53.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 RON 30.68

$3.06 ฿102

120.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 RON 31.94

$10.80 ฿360

-34.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.16

$2.77 ฿92.3

-59.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.22

$1.17 ฿38.94

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.44

$1.71 ฿57.0

-16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.59 ฿53.2

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RON 3.00

$1.39 ฿46.51

-52.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$1.16 ฿38.56

-28.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 RON 3.83

$0.66 ฿22.05

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.34

$0.52 ฿17.31

40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 RON 26.94

$4.65 ฿155

27.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 RON 29.77

$17.78 ฿593

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.79 ฿59.6

-46.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 RON 9.69

$3.34 ฿111

-36.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.91 ฿30.27

-26.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.92 RON 90.6

$18.64 ฿622

6.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 RON 2.71

$1.41 ฿47.04

-57.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 RON 2.26

$1.34 ฿44.70

-62.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 RON 31.81

$8.11 ฿270

-13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.12

$1.23 ฿41.16

27.64%

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

$28.4K RON 129.0K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

32.42%

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

$27.6K RON 125.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

26.68%

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

$206 RON 938

$71.3 ฿2,379

189.21%

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

$8.14 RON 37.00

$14.01 ฿467

-41.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.99 RON 31.77

$17.93 ฿598

-61.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 RON 191

$40.82 ฿1,362

2.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.47 RON 88.5

$6.88 ฿230

182.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 RON 29.21

$5.72 ฿191

12.24%

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

$432 RON 1,962

$308 ฿10.3K

39.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,832 RON 40.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 RON 354

$55.8 ฿1,860

39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 RON 170

$26.04 ฿869

43.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 RON 362

$84.8 ฿2,829

-6.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 RON 390

$71.0 ฿2,368

20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,786

$423 ฿14.1K

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 RON 1,346

$242 ฿8,088

22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 RON 2,705

$797 ฿26.6K

-25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 RON 1,974

$507 ฿16.9K

-14.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,762 RON 8,009

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-8.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,245 RON 5,662

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-14.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$819 RON 3,724

$595 ฿19.9K

37.65%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Calafat versus $423 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 38% 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 – $182 in Calafat vs $244 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: $1,039 in Calafat, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 22% apart. Calafat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,559 per month in Calafat and $1,279 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 $1,039 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 7% 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 $1,039 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 $1,039 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.