Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,144 in Bolintin-Vale, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Bolintin-Vale
Learn more

Bolintin-Vale Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bolintin-Vale

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,144

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bolintin-Vale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Bolintin-Vale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,144 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Bolintin-Vale $1,144

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,763 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Bolintin-Vale $1,763

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,383 in Bolintin-Vale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Bolintin-Vale $2,383

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Bolintin-Vale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Bolintin-Vale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bolintin-Vale 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$13.80 RON 65.6

-84.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$52.6 RON 250

-64.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.30 RON 34.71

-23.29%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.68 RON 17.50

-54.89%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$2.35 RON 11.19

-72.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$2.16 RON 10.25

-86.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$3.17 RON 15.08

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$4.29 RON 20.41

-14.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.69 RON 8.05

19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.32 RON 6.28

6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.75 RON 8.33

-20.57%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$3.48 RON 16.54

-31.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$9.02 RON 42.89

83.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$6.78 RON 32.22

-60.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$11.86 RON 56.4

-23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.50 RON 7.12

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.53 RON 7.26

-32.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.55 RON 7.38

7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$2.60 RON 12.34

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.87 RON 4.13

42.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.83 RON 3.92

31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.85 RON 4.05

-10.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.86 RON 4.09

-40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$6.13 RON 29.16

-32.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$7.42 RON 35.29

141.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.22 RON 5.82

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.70 RON 8.08

65.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.76 RON 3.63

22.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$22.08 RON 105

139.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.62 RON 2.95

90.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.60 RON 2.86

-71.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$6.43 RON 30.56

-71.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.83 RON 8.70

-19.67%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$28.7K RON 136.3K

-26.75%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$25.3K RON 120.4K

4.65%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$176 RON 837

-64.48%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$8.64 RON 41.05

34.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$9.07 RON 43.10

123.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$37.76 RON 179

0.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$19.96 RON 94.9

-81.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$9.36 RON 44.51

-30.45%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$527 RON 2,505

37.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$12.6K RON 59.9K

31.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$84.4 RON 401

-36.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$39.61 RON 188

-37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$73.7 RON 350

22.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$91.0 RON 432

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$379 RON 1,803

26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$290 RON 1,378

6.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$621 RON 2,951

70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$465 RON 2,209

41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$1,944 RON 9,240

24.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,338 RON 6,358

20.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$1,150 RON 5,468

-48.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bolintin-Vale: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bolintin-Vale

$290 25.3% 6.4% $20

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bolintin-Vale

$226 19.8% 4.6% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bolintin-Vale

$130 11.4% 19.9% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bolintin-Vale

$194 17% 105% $99

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bolintin-Vale

$219 19.2% 186% $142

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bolintin-Vale

$29 2.5% 51% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bolintin-Vale

$56 4.9% 11% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $379 in Bolintin-Vale. 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 93% higher in Bolintin-Vale. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $53 in Bolintin-Vale. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Bolintin-Vale – so Bolintin-Vale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Bolintin-Vale

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

06:25 6:25 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

12,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bolintin-Vale 7,240 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bolintin-Vale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bolintin-Vale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bolintin-Vale costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,716 in Bolintin-Vale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bolintin-Vale, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $379 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,144 in Bolintin-Vale. That makes Chiang Mai about 18% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Bolintin-Vale. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,144 in Bolintin-Vale. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,144 in Bolintin-Vale. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bolintin-Vale makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.