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: $848 in Chiang Mai versus $684 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Chiang Mai versus $1,073 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Chiang Mai versus $1,461 in Cahul.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 24% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cahul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$8.66 MDL 150

-77.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$36.86 MDL 636

-50.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$7.67 MDL 132

2.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.80 MDL 31.14

8.33%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.92 MDL 15.88

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.70 MDL 12.02

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.77 MDL 30.49

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.29 MDL 39.56

60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.29 MDL 22.29

28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.56 MDL 9.58

178.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.52 MDL 26.16

-21.71%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.57 MDL 44.40

-22.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$10.21 MDL 176

59.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.32 MDL 91.8

-40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$9.03 MDL 156

20.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$0.90 MDL 15.49

194.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.76 MDL 30.41

-30.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.77 MDL 30.58

-6.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$2.10 MDL 36.25

-26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.78 MDL 13.40

70.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.55 MDL 9.43

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.36 MDL 23.42

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.87 MDL 15.10

-34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$3.29 MDL 56.8

42.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$4.55 MDL 78.5

273.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.23 MDL 21.16

47.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.99 MDL 34.41

59.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.10 MDL 36.18

-32.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.25 MDL 4.28

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$5.21 MDL 89.9

56.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.36 MDL 23.54

-5.88%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.3K MDL 557.5K

-32.42%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$31.1K MDL 537.4K

-28.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$170 MDL 2,934

-58.54%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$7.48 MDL 129

87.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$10.67 MDL 184

65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$7.63 MDL 132

-21.89%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$388 MDL 6,702

-21.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$7,497 MDL 129.4K

99.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$66.1 MDL 1,141

-17.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$53.0 MDL 915

-50.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$115 MDL 1,977

-25.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$123 MDL 2,126

-43.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$507 MDL 8,757

22.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 23% 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 $37.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $190, 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 24% 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.

Chiang Mai pays 23% more on average, 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 27% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $848 per month in Chiang Mai versus $684 in Cahul – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cahul 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 Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $684 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 24% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.