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: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,356 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $2,217 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $3,078 in Brasov.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 30% less than in Brasov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Brasov 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$12.13 RON 55.0

-82.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿651

$55.7 RON 252

-64.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$7.85 RON 35.58

-28.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.9

$3.85 RON 17.44

-52.99%

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

$0.71 ฿23.66

$2.58 RON 11.71

-72.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.48

$2.35 RON 10.65

-86.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

$3.23 RON 14.63

-30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.54 RON 16.06

2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.0

$1.57 RON 7.13

24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.83

$1.49 RON 6.74

0.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.32

$1.78 RON 8.10

-24.72%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.55 RON 16.10

-36.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿539

$9.18 RON 41.63

77.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.0

$7.13 RON 32.35

-58.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

$13.44 RON 60.9

-26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.3

$1.59 RON 7.21

61.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.04

$1.63 RON 7.41

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.5

$1.66 RON 7.52

-3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.4

$2.86 RON 12.98

-46.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.14

$0.85 RON 3.84

49.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.37

$0.88 RON 3.97

21.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.89

$0.88 RON 3.97

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.87

$0.78 RON 3.54

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

$6.53 RON 29.59

-35.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

$7.86 RON 35.63

127.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

$1.31 RON 5.92

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

$1.88 RON 8.54

51.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

$1.08 RON 4.89

-13.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

$23.95 RON 109

124.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.95

$0.66 RON 2.98

86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.13

$0.70 RON 3.18

-17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

$6.81 RON 30.87

-64.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

$1.92 RON 8.69

-26.56%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

$29.5K RON 134.0K

-27.41%

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

$27.3K RON 124.0K

0.01%

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

$187 RON 848

-65.96%

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

$12.85 ฿426

$8.12 RON 36.84

58.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿671

$9.71 RON 44.04

108.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

$60.4 RON 274

-35.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$14.51 RON 65.8

-72.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿223

$9.78 RON 44.38

-31.08%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

$466 RON 2,115

66.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

$7,246 RON 32.9K

101.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,801

$55.2 RON 250

-1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿844

$37.49 RON 170

-32.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,129

$79.3 RON 360

19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,436

$95.4 RON 433

-22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

$726 RON 3,293

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

$483 RON 2,191

-40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

$1,358 RON 6,157

-34.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

$1,087 RON 4,929

-52.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

$3,208 RON 14.5K

-39.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

$2,472 RON 11.2K

-40.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,156 RON 5,242

-47.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brasov: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $726 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 92% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $56.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $237, 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 43% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,356 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 92% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $726 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 $20.00 versus $56.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,356 in Brasov – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,356 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 43% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.