Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baia Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Baia Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $887 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,427 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,967 in Baia Mare.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 2% less than in Baia Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Baia Mare 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$9.11 RON 41.20

-78.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$36.19 RON 164

-48.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.09 RON 32.09

9.31%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.21 RON 10.01

-13.12%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.79 RON 8.09

-55.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.34 RON 6.05

-73.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.57 RON 7.09

40.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.23 RON 10.07

64.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.44 RON 6.51

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.23 RON 5.55

32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.54 RON 6.99

-22.73%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.25 RON 14.69

-38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.59 RON 34.33

110.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.15 RON 27.83

-50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.00 RON 40.73

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.18 RON 5.32

133.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.52 RON 6.89

-22.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.74 RON 7.87

-5.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.21 RON 9.99

-31.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.76 RON 3.43

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.87 RON 3.94

36.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.01 RON 4.57

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.79 RON 3.56

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.43 RON 24.55

-15.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.90 RON 22.15

237.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.03 RON 4.68

77.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.77 RON 8.02

80.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.67 RON 3.03

31.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$16.35 RON 73.9

14.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.76 RON 3.43

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.80 RON 3.64

67.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.04 RON 40.89

-13.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.51 RON 6.83

-18.54%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$28.6K RON 129.2K

-24.31%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

-13.22%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$117 RON 530

-39.77%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.37 RON 37.88

63.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$11.17 RON 50.5

56.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$51.3 RON 232

-19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$20.91 RON 94.6

-66.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.71 RON 30.34

-14.01%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$431 RON 1,952

-28.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,838 RON 30.9K

113.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$53.0 RON 240

5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$38.92 RON 176

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$70.4 RON 318

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$93.2 RON 422

-22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$287 RON 1,296

50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$210 RON 951

13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$536 RON 2,426

52.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$400 RON 1,809

27.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,362 RON 10.7K

-16.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,555 RON 7,033

-4.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$871 RON 3,940

-28.96%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $287 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baia Mare pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $36.00 in Baia Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $195, with Baia Mare cheaper for home cooking.

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 Baia Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Baia Mare earns 41% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $287 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $431 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Baia Mare pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Baia Mare, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Baia Mare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Baia Mare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.