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 $685 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,084 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,482 in Cahul.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.86 MDL 154

-76.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$36.06 MDL 627

-48.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.71 MDL 134

1.95%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.87 MDL 32.46

8.56%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.98 MDL 16.95

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.65 MDL 11.34

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.73 MDL 30.10

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.33 MDL 40.42

57.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.24 MDL 21.52

39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.52 MDL 9.03

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.47 MDL 25.51

-18.37%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.59 MDL 44.96

-23.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.46 MDL 182

55.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.53 MDL 96.1

-44.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.67 MDL 151

24.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.84 MDL 14.57

229.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.82 MDL 31.70

-35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.71 MDL 29.71

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.16 MDL 37.49

-26.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.82 MDL 14.33

69.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.59 MDL 10.31

96.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.29 MDL 22.50

-48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.84 MDL 14.67

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.30 MDL 57.4

40.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.57 MDL 79.4

289.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.27 MDL 22.07

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.00 MDL 34.77

67.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.01 MDL 35.00

-29.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.25 MDL 4.34

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.31 MDL 92.2

52.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.44 MDL 25.02

-14.58%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.5K MDL 565.0K

-34.06%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.6K MDL 549.3K

-30.96%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$174 MDL 3,027

-59.04%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.66 MDL 133

82.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$10.73 MDL 186

67.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.79 MDL 135

-26.57%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$395 MDL 6,868

-21.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,490 MDL 130.2K

95.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$66.6 MDL 1,158

-16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$54.1 MDL 940

-51.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$112 MDL 1,939

-23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$123 MDL 2,146

-42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$507 MDL 8,819

17.27%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cahul: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chiang Mai pays 17% 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 $244 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.

Average pay runs 17% 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 28% 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 $685 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 $685 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.