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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,086 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,667 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,247 in Braila.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Braila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Braila 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$13.59 RON 61.8

-84.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$45.30 RON 206

-58.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.84 RON 35.65

0.26%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.76 RON 12.55

-26.45%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.90 RON 8.66

-57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.72 RON 7.82

-79.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.36 RON 10.72

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.31 RON 15.04

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.53 RON 6.97

13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.30 RON 5.90

20.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.90 RON 8.65

-36.84%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.46 RON 15.75

-43.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.47 RON 38.49

91.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.47 RON 29.40

-52.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.40 RON 47.29

3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.22 RON 5.55

127.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.68 RON 7.63

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.71 RON 7.76

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.93 RON 8.76

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.84 RON 3.84

65.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.14 RON 5.18

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.67 RON 3.04

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.76 RON 3.44

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.83 RON 26.52

-20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.46 RON 29.37

175.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.11 RON 5.05

61.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.62 RON 7.35

106.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.62 RON 2.80

46.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$16.41 RON 74.6

13.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.94 RON 4.27

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.65 RON 2.95

106.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.64 RON 34.75

6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.53 RON 6.97

-19.61%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.3K RON 128.5K

-24.18%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.3K RON 123.9K

-19.94%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$151 RON 687

-52.77%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.70 RON 35.01

81.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.00 RON 40.90

99.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$34.79 RON 158

17.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$13.93 RON 63.3

-50.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.81 RON 30.94

-16.01%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$294 RON 1,338

4.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,926 RON 31.5K

111.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$68.4 RON 311

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$54.3 RON 247

-52.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$71.0 RON 323

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$113 RON 512

-37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$382 RON 1,737

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$307 RON 1,396

-21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$574 RON 2,611

38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$462 RON 2,100

9.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,936 RON 8,800

-0.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,395 RON 6,342

4.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$877 RON 3,986

-32.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

-26.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Braila: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $382 in Braila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Braila pays 47% 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 $45.00 in Braila. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $210, with Braila 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 Braila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Braila. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Braila. 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $382 in Braila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 14% less than in Braila. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $294 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Braila 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 27% less than in Braila. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.