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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $646 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $938 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,230 in Cahul.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 44% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Cahul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$8.56 MDL 148

-75.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$23.96 MDL 415

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.90 MDL 189

-47.98%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.76 MDL 30.52

2.84%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.13 MDL 19.52

-31.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.60 MDL 10.39

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.98 MDL 34.30

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.80 MDL 31.23

110.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.29 MDL 22.33

58.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.51 MDL 8.76

196.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.59 MDL 27.52

-11.95%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.34 MDL 40.49

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.11 MDL 123

127.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.83 MDL 83.6

-39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.26 MDL 109

50.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.02 MDL 17.74

162.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.26 MDL 39.22

-51.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.88 MDL 32.58

-13.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.41 MDL 41.83

-39.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.72 MDL 12.55

77.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.50 MDL 8.59

112.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.47 MDL 8.23

53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.57 MDL 9.84

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.55 MDL 61.6

19.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.72 MDL 81.7

287.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.47 MDL 25.45

10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.07 MDL 35.84

40.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.28 MDL 4.82

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.95 MDL 51.2

-60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.25 MDL 4.31

132.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$5.91 MDL 102

-59.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.50 MDL 25.95

-3.33%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

-40.12%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

6.59%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$234 MDL 4,048

-72.75%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$7.85 MDL 136

64.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$11.46 MDL 199

79.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.95 MDL 138

-17.23%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$117 MDL 2,021

572.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

169.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$46.87 MDL 812

17.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$56.9 MDL 987

65.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$51.8 MDL 897

42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$527 MDL 9,129

14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 14% 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 $24.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $169, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $646 in Cahul – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $646 in Cahul versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.