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 $1,036 per month in Carei vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,571 per month in Carei vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,105 per month in Carei vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Carei costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Carei and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Carei 23% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 40.88

$1.96 ฿64.0

378.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 RON 198

$18.81 ฿615

141.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 RON 34.96

$7.92 ฿259

1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.37

$1.91 ฿62.6

36.65%

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

$2.01 RON 8.78

$0.84 ฿27.41

139.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$0.35 ฿11.51

391.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 9.89

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 RON 12.39

$3.80 ฿124

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.42

$1.64 ฿53.5

-10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.38

$1.62 ฿53.1

-24.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.47

$1.18 ฿38.62

44.92%

Eggs

$3.37 RON 14.69

$2.01 ฿65.8

67.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 RON 36.73

$15.89 ฿520

-47.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 RON 29.80

$3.01 ฿98.5

126.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 44.83

$10.77 ฿352

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 4.93

$2.61 ฿85.5

-56.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.73

$1.22 ฿39.88

26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.70 ฿55.7

-7.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.27

$1.58 ฿51.5

20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 RON 3.86

$1.32 ฿43.14

-32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.03

$1.17 ฿38.23

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.03

$0.67 ฿21.98

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.31

$0.56 ฿18.32

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.11

$4.53 ฿148

27.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 RON 32.07

$18.20 ฿595

-59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.70

$1.83 ฿60.0

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.19

$3.23 ฿106

-48.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.91

$0.89 ฿29.00

-24.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.63 RON 85.6

$19.38 ฿634

1.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.11

$1.35 ฿44.20

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.28

$1.35 ฿44.05

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 30.26

$8.25 ฿270

-15.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.95

$1.27 ฿41.64

25.20%

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

$27.8K RON 121.0K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

31.21%

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

$27.2K RON 118.8K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

21.17%

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

$152 RON 661

$70.2 ฿2,294

116.08%

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

$8.28 RON 36.11

$13.77 ฿450

-39.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 39.86

$17.60 ฿575

-48.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 RON 181

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 RON 82.5

$6.60 ฿216

186.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 RON 29.65

$5.78 ฿189

17.65%

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

$436 RON 1,903

$306 ฿10.0K

42.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,886 RON 30.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-53.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 RON 299

$54.4 ฿1,778

26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 RON 173

$26.14 ฿855

51.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 RON 322

$84.5 ฿2,764

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 RON 408

$69.4 ฿2,270

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 RON 1,678

$424 ฿13.9K

-9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,250

$238 ฿7,788

20.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,551

$825 ฿27.0K

-29.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 RON 1,899

$515 ฿16.8K

-15.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,848 RON 8,057

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-9.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,574 RON 6,864

$1,523 ฿49.8K

3.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Carei 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Carei versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Carei vs $243 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 22% 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 $1,553 per month in Carei 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $45.00 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,036 in Carei and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,036 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.