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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in Carei vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,584 per month in Carei vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,149 per month in Carei vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Carei costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Carei and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Carei 24% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.36 RON 42.33

$1.98 ฿64.3

372.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.58 RON 211

$18.80 ฿612

147.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 RON 36.58

$7.75 ฿252

4.39%

Cappuccino

$2.67 RON 12.09

$1.92 ฿62.5

39.06%

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

$1.92 RON 8.69

$0.79 ฿25.79

143.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$0.36 ฿11.62

380.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.48

$2.21 ฿72.1

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 12.38

$3.66 ฿119

-25.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.01

$1.65 ฿53.8

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.62

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$1.19 ฿38.86

43.70%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.85

$2.00 ฿65.1

64.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 RON 39.20

$15.98 ฿520

-45.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.83

$3.03 ฿98.5

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 RON 47.88

$10.86 ฿354

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$2.76 ฿90.0

-57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.96

$1.18 ฿38.42

30.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.64 ฿53.5

-4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 RON 8.99

$1.52 ฿49.51

30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.96

$1.38 ฿45.10

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$1.19 ฿38.84

-21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.70 ฿22.86

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.56 ฿18.13

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 25.62

$4.58 ฿149

23.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 RON 33.53

$16.56 ฿539

-55.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RON 4.82

$1.83 ฿59.5

-42.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$3.20 ฿104

-49.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.17

$0.88 ฿28.56

-20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 87.9

$18.72 ฿610

3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$1.36 ฿44.16

-47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.33

$1.34 ฿43.65

-44.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.07 RON 31.98

$7.84 ฿256

-9.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.25

$1.23 ฿39.92

30.08%

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

$27.6K RON 125.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

27.80%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

22.16%

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

$151 RON 684

$70.5 ฿2,298

114.23%

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

$8.20 RON 37.10

$13.68 ฿445

-40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.81 RON 39.83

$17.45 ฿568

-49.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 RON 184

$41.33 ฿1,346

-1.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.01 RON 86.0

$6.96 ฿227

173.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 RON 31.62

$5.77 ฿188

21.14%

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

$424 RON 1,917

$307 ฿10.0K

38.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,029 RON 31.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 RON 307

$55.8 ฿1,817

21.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 RON 177

$26.21 ฿854

49.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 RON 332

$85.8 ฿2,793

-14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 RON 410

$72.2 ฿2,353

25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,773

$430 ฿14.0K

-8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 RON 1,302

$239 ฿7,774

20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 RON 2,670

$817 ฿26.6K

-27.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,006

$511 ฿16.6K

-13.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,147 RON 9,711

$1,983 ฿64.6K

8.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,247 RON 5,639

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-15.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

31.20%

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

Last update for Carei: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Carei versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Carei versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Carei vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Carei 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

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

Carei costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,529 per month in Carei and $1,303 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Carei – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Carei and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Carei at $1,019. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Carei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,019 in Carei. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Carei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.