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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,265 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,970 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,675 in Brasov.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 31% less than in Brasov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Brasov 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$12.18 RON 55.1

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$49.75 RON 225

-62.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.19 RON 37.02

-4.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.47 RON 15.69

-43.80%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.95 RON 8.81

-56.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.10 RON 9.48

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.25 RON 14.67

-34.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.50 RON 15.80

6.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.49 RON 6.72

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.33 RON 6.02

22.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.75 RON 7.89

-34.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.39 RON 15.32

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.49 RON 38.38

90.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.96 RON 31.46

-55.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.91 RON 53.8

-8.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.19 RON 5.39

131.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.64 RON 7.39

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.60 RON 7.24

1.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.53 RON 11.43

-37.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.95 RON 4.30

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.07 RON 4.82

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.88 RON 3.99

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.85 RON 3.83

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.82 RON 26.30

-19.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.03 RON 40.82

106.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.14 RON 5.14

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.66 RON 7.50

94.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.91 RON 4.11

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.00 RON 85.9

1.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.77 RON 3.47

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.60 RON 2.73

115.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.88 RON 31.10

13.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.59 RON 7.20

-20.13%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.7K RON 125.4K

-23.30%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.4K RON 123.9K

-18.96%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$167 RON 754

-58.62%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.88 RON 35.63

78.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$9.28 RON 41.94

93.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$59.8 RON 270

-31.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.86 RON 71.7

-56.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.84 RON 48.99

-45.39%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$441 RON 1,995

-32.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,608 RON 29.9K

126.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$65.8 RON 297

-16.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.49 RON 192

-37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$95.8 RON 433

-11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$97.2 RON 440

-27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$621 RON 2,808

-31.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$419 RON 1,892

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,051 RON 4,751

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$701 RON 3,171

-26.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,190 RON 14.4K

-38.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,490 RON 11.3K

-40.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,082 RON 4,892

-42.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brasov: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $621 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 75% 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 $50.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $225, with Brasov 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 Brasov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Brasov differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $1,265 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasov earns 75% 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $621 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $50.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,265 in Brasov – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,265 in Brasov, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Brasov. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Brasov 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 46% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.