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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.60 RON 52.5

-83.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$45.83 RON 207

-59.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.27 RON 37.38

-5.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.32 RON 10.47

-15.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.18 RON 9.85

-61.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.83 RON 8.28

-80.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.26 RON 10.24

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.64 RON 16.45

2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.37 RON 6.20

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.89 RON 4.03

83.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.72 RON 7.75

-33.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.79 RON 17.12

-49.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.37 RON 37.84

93.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.14 RON 27.73

-49.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.44 RON 42.69

15.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.25 RON 5.66

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.57 RON 7.10

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.74 RON 7.85

-6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.93 RON 8.70

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.90 RON 4.09

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.84 RON 3.81

39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.67 RON 3.03

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.79 RON 3.55

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.69 RON 25.71

-17.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.72 RON 30.37

177.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.88 RON 3.97

104.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.34 RON 6.07

141.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.63 RON 2.85

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$31.81 RON 144

-39.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.61 RON 2.77

131.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.60 RON 2.71

115.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.71 RON 34.85

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.58 RON 7.14

-19.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

-24.32%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

-17.02%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$114 RON 516

-39.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.19 RON 37.03

71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$5.23 RON 23.62

244.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$25.17 RON 114

63.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.37 RON 106

-70.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.77 RON 30.61

-12.56%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$654 RON 2,958

-54.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,513 RON 24.9K

171.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$90.4 RON 409

-39.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.64 RON 161

-24.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$62.4 RON 282

36.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$98.2 RON 444

-28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$321 RON 1,449

33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$187 RON 844

27.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$507 RON 2,290

58.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$368 RON 1,662

40.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,893 RON 8,559

4.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,242 RON 5,612

18.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,020 RON 4,609

-39.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $321 in Bacau. 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 65% higher in Bacau, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Bacau – so Bacau 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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bacau is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,368 in Bacau. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $46.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $912 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $912 in Bacau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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