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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $988 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,668 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,348 in Bacau, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bacau 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$12.21 RON 55.1

-82.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$88.8 RON 401

-77.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.61 RON 38.89

-34.38%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$2.04 RON 9.22

-11.27%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$2.05 RON 9.24

-65.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$1.92 RON 8.67

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.69 RON 12.15

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.35 RON 15.13

8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$1.66 RON 7.48

18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$1.24 RON 5.60

20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$1.62 RON 7.32

-17.28%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$3.28 RON 14.79

-31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$8.30 RON 37.49

95.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$5.70 RON 25.73

-48.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$9.72 RON 43.87

2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$1.20 RON 5.42

114.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$1.51 RON 6.83

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.51 RON 6.82

6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$2.11 RON 9.53

-27.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$0.70 RON 3.18

81.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$0.69 RON 3.11

55.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$0.72 RON 3.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$0.79 RON 3.59

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$5.51 RON 24.86

-23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$6.44 RON 29.07

177.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.03 RON 4.66

64.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$1.48 RON 6.67

91.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$0.78 RON 3.54

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$31.36 RON 142

71.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$0.64 RON 2.89

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$0.67 RON 3.04

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$6.48 RON 29.24

-62.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$1.90 RON 8.58

-25.79%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-28.04%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

5.04%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$111 RON 503

-42.87%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$11.43 RON 51.6

12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$5.10 RON 23.03

296.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$27.34 RON 123

41.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$16.90 RON 76.3

-76.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$8.87 RON 40.03

-24.01%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$422 RON 1,906

84.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$6,096 RON 27.5K

139.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$75.4 RON 341

-28.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$45.12 RON 204

-43.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$96.6 RON 436

-2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$99.8 RON 451

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$418 RON 1,887

17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$253 RON 1,141

14.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

$575 RON 2,594

55.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$418 RON 1,885

23.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

$1,907 RON 8,610

2.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,253 RON 5,658

17.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,010 RON 4,560

-40.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.97

-20.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $418 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 68% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $89.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $200 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 4%, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,482 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $89.0 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 $947 in Chiang Mai and $988 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Bacau at $988. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bacau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.