Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Calafat

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,016 in Calafat, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Calafat outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Calafat
Learn more

Calafat Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Calafat

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,016

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Calafat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Calafat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,016 in Calafat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Calafat $1,016

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,499 in Calafat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Calafat $1,499

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,982 in Calafat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Calafat $1,982

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Calafat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Calafat 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$7.35 RON 34.96

-71.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$38.38 RON 182

-51.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.21 RON 34.26

-22.33%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.14 RON 10.15

-22.43%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$1.44 RON 6.83

-54.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.87 RON 4.12

-65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$1.08 RON 5.12

114.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.83 RON 8.72

100.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.12 RON 5.31

80.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.76 RON 3.63

85.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.35 RON 6.40

2.96%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$2.33 RON 11.07

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$6.69 RON 31.81

146.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$6.35 RON 30.16

-57.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$6.24 RON 29.64

44.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.01 RON 4.80

137.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.49 RON 7.08

-30.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.28 RON 6.06

29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.44 RON 6.85

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.60 RON 2.86

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.75 RON 3.57

45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.69 RON 3.28

10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.71 RON 3.38

-28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$5.31 RON 25.22

-22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$6.27 RON 29.80

185.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$0.88 RON 4.16

84.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.45 RON 6.91

94.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.75 RON 3.55

24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$22.34 RON 106

136.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.53 RON 2.53

122.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.51 RON 2.42

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$9.77 RON 46.44

-81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.51 RON 7.16

-2.65%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$25.5K RON 121.0K

-17.48%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$25.5K RON 121.2K

3.96%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$214 RON 1,018

-70.80%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$7.55 RON 35.90

53.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$6.33 RON 30.07

220.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$37.82 RON 180

0.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$19.06 RON 90.6

-80.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$7.40 RON 35.17

-12.03%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$412 RON 1,960

76.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$8,151 RON 38.7K

103.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$63.5 RON 302

-15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$42.04 RON 200

-41.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$84.2 RON 400

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$83.5 RON 397

-13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$380 RON 1,806

26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$294 RON 1,399

5.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$617 RON 2,931

71.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$468 RON 2,223

40.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$1,910 RON 9,080

26.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,190 RON 5,658

35.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$812 RON 3,860

-26.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Calafat: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Calafat

$294 29% 5% $16

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Calafat

$165 16.2% 30.4% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Calafat

$123 12.1% 13.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Calafat

$228 22.5% 142% $134

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Calafat

$124 12.3% 62.4% $48

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Calafat

$28 2.8% 51.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Calafat

$53 5.2% 3.4% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $380 in Calafat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Calafat. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Calafat – so Calafat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Calafat

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

18,500

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Calafat 7,470 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Calafat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai, $1,016 in Calafat – Chiang Mai comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,523 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $380 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,016 in Calafat. That makes Chiang Mai about 8% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,016 in Calafat. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,016 in Calafat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calafat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.