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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $686 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,082 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,478 in Cahul.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$8.73 MDL 151

-77.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$36.23 MDL 625

-48.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.53 MDL 130

5.18%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.88 MDL 32.44

1.60%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.91 MDL 15.70

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.70 MDL 12.07

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.71 MDL 29.52

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.31 MDL 39.82

64.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.29 MDL 22.17

27.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.52 MDL 8.99

211.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.52 MDL 26.19

-22.37%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.63 MDL 45.35

-23.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.41 MDL 180

52.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.32 MDL 91.8

-43.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.09 MDL 157

18.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.86 MDL 14.76

203.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.80 MDL 31.09

-32.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.73 MDL 29.79

-1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.16 MDL 37.18

-26.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.76 MDL 13.11

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.59 MDL 10.18

98.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.32 MDL 22.75

-49.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.87 MDL 15.02

-35.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.31 MDL 57.0

36.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.21 MDL 20.87

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.99 MDL 34.41

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.08 MDL 35.81

-35.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.25 MDL 4.27

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.20 MDL 89.7

58.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.44 MDL 24.82

-11.81%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.0K MDL 552.4K

-33.93%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.0K MDL 534.7K

-27.46%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$172 MDL 2,967

-59.22%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.65 MDL 132

80.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$10.92 MDL 188

61.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.66 MDL 132

-24.54%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$384 MDL 6,626

-20.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,684 MDL 132.5K

92.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.5 MDL 1,129

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$54.7 MDL 943

-52.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$112 MDL 1,939

-24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$122 MDL 2,098

-42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$524 MDL 9,036

21.26%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cahul: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 21% 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 $36.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $182, 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 21% 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 34% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $686 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 $686 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.