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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,254 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,956 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,657 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 36% lower, Brasov 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$12.42 RON 57.0

-84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$50.8 RON 233

-63.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.07 RON 37.03

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.58 RON 16.40

-43.58%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.90 RON 8.73

-55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$2.01 RON 9.24

-82.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.25 RON 14.91

-34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.42 RON 15.67

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.54 RON 7.07

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.29 RON 5.92

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.81 RON 8.32

-34.25%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.36 RON 15.41

-42.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$8.83 RON 40.47

83.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.03 RON 32.24

-57.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.75 RON 53.9

-6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.14 RON 5.25

137.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.66 RON 7.60

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.55 RON 7.11

9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.49 RON 11.40

-35.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.94 RON 4.33

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.06 RON 4.88

13.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.88 RON 4.02

-23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.79 RON 3.64

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.85 RON 26.82

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.84 RON 35.94

124.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.11 RON 5.08

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.71 RON 7.85

92.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.91 RON 4.16

-3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$18.69 RON 85.7

3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.77 RON 3.53

76.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.60 RON 2.76

123.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.78 RON 31.11

21.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.61 RON 7.36

-24.22%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$28.1K RON 128.9K

-24.01%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.5K RON 126.2K

-18.13%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$165 RON 757

-57.21%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.19 RON 37.54

71.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$8.83 RON 40.49

98.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$60.0 RON 275

-29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$15.81 RON 72.5

-56.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$10.79 RON 49.49

-45.13%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$447 RON 2,051

-31.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$6,652 RON 30.5K

123.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$68.0 RON 312

-17.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$42.68 RON 196

-38.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$95.6 RON 439

-13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$98.3 RON 451

-28.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$626 RON 2,870

-30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$428 RON 1,962

-44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,029 RON 4,720

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$699 RON 3,205

-26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$3,177 RON 14.6K

-39.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$2,402 RON 11.0K

-38.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,127 RON 5,171

-48.61%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $626 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 95% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $51.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $223, 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 ($861 vs $1,254 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Brasov. 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $626 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 $18.00 versus $51.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,254 in Brasov – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,254 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.