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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,557 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,063 in Calafat, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Calafat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$9.12 RON 41.06

-78.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$41.25 RON 186

-55.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.00 RON 36.05

-1.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.32 RON 10.46

-15.95%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.93 RON 4.20

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.87 RON 3.94

-63.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.13 RON 5.11

89.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.04 RON 9.21

80.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.29 RON 5.83

28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.90 RON 4.05

73.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.51 RON 6.81

-21.19%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.54 RON 11.45

-21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$7.68 RON 34.60

111.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$6.78 RON 30.52

-53.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$6.78 RON 30.56

59.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.18 RON 5.33

124.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.62 RON 7.30

-24.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.35 RON 6.10

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.58 RON 7.11

-1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.66 RON 2.97

101.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.83 RON 3.76

45.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.79 RON 3.55

-13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.75 RON 3.36

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$5.93 RON 26.72

-21.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$5.99 RON 26.98

183.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$0.97 RON 4.35

87.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.04 RON 9.20

55.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.67 RON 3.04

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$19.50 RON 87.8

-3.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.61 RON 2.73

131.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.50 RON 2.25

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$6.93 RON 31.20

17.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.60 RON 7.19

-20.00%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$27.7K RON 124.7K

-21.18%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$27.0K RON 121.7K

-17.09%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$207 RON 932

-65.94%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$8.16 RON 36.73

72.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$6.89 RON 31.05

156.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$41.66 RON 188

-0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$19.37 RON 87.2

-65.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.50 RON 29.29

-8.31%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$442 RON 1,990

-31.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$8,885 RON 40.0K

68.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$78.1 RON 352

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$37.49 RON 169

-29.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$77.8 RON 350

10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$86.0 RON 387

-18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$395 RON 1,778

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$289 RON 1,300

-17.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$591 RON 2,661

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$433 RON 1,952

17.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$2,097 RON 9,445

-3.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,434 RON 6,458

4.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$830 RON 3,738

-25.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Calafat: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $395 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 33% higher in Calafat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Calafat – so Calafat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $848 in Chiang Mai, $1,051 in Calafat – roughly 24% apart. Calafat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,576 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,051 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,051 in Calafat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $848 in Chiang Mai to $1,051 in Calafat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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