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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $929 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,459 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,990 in Arad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Arad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Arad 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$8.62 RON 38.94

-75.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$34.56 RON 156

-43.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.85 RON 35.47

-28.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.67 RON 12.08

-32.21%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.57 RON 7.07

-54.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.68 RON 7.60

-80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.25 RON 10.18

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.57 RON 11.61

41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.18 RON 5.35

66.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.25 RON 5.66

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.76 RON 7.94

-23.86%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.83 RON 12.78

-20.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.35 RON 33.22

121.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.99 RON 22.54

-40.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.88 RON 49.13

-8.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.78 RON 8.02

44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.83 RON 8.28

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.80 RON 8.15

-10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.50 RON 6.77

1.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.83 RON 3.74

53.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.91 RON 4.11

17.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.29 RON 5.83

-44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.82 RON 3.70

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.03 RON 27.23

-30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$5.95 RON 26.89

200.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.25 RON 5.66

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.80 RON 8.15

57.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.97 RON 4.40

-4.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$30.73 RON 139

75.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.90 RON 4.08

36.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.09 RON 4.90

-46.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$11.23 RON 50.7

-78.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.82 RON 8.24

-22.53%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

-24.61%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$26.0K RON 117.7K

4.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$132 RON 594

-51.60%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$8.77 RON 39.60

46.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$7.61 RON 34.39

165.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$36.43 RON 165

6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$33.75 RON 152

-88.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$5.39 RON 24.35

25.05%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$167 RON 753

366.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$4,022 RON 18.2K

263.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$44.82 RON 202

21.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$22.22 RON 100

14.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$73.2 RON 330

28.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$76.7 RON 346

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$349 RON 1,579

40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$235 RON 1,061

23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$556 RON 2,513

60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$436 RON 1,969

18.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,516 RON 6,845

29.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,092 RON 4,930

35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$956 RON 4,320

-37.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.35

-24.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $349 in Arad. 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 59% higher in Arad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Arad. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Arad – so Arad 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Arad, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,394 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $947 in Chiang Mai and $929 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $929 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.