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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,039 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,539 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,038 in Calafat, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% 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 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$9.15 RON 41.62

-77.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$42.16 RON 192

-55.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.86 RON 35.73

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.35 RON 10.70

-13.62%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.88 RON 4.00

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.89 RON 4.05

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.12 RON 5.09

91.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.08 RON 9.46

76.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.30 RON 5.89

33.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.84 RON 3.81

86.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.49 RON 6.76

-19.46%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.50 RON 11.35

-21.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.60 RON 34.57

113.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.75 RON 30.68

-54.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.03 RON 31.94

53.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.13 RON 5.16

145.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.59 RON 7.22

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.42 RON 6.44

20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.58 RON 7.17

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.66 RON 3.00

110.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.83 RON 3.77

39.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.84 RON 3.83

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.73 RON 3.34

-28.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.92 RON 26.94

-21.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.55 RON 29.77

171.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.96 RON 4.36

86.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.13 RON 9.69

56.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.67 RON 3.04

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.92 RON 90.6

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.60 RON 2.71

135.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.50 RON 2.26

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.00 RON 31.81

15.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.57 RON 7.12

-21.66%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.4K RON 129.0K

-24.48%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.6K RON 125.7K

-21.06%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$206 RON 938

-65.42%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.14 RON 37.00

72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$6.99 RON 31.77

156.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.99 RON 191

-2.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.47 RON 88.5

-64.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.42 RON 29.21

-10.90%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$432 RON 1,962

-28.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,832 RON 40.2K

66.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$78.0 RON 354

-28.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$37.32 RON 170

-30.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$79.5 RON 362

6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$85.7 RON 390

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$393 RON 1,786

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$296 RON 1,346

-18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$595 RON 2,705

33.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$434 RON 1,974

16.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,762 RON 8,009

8.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,245 RON 5,662

17.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$819 RON 3,724

-27.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $393 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 38% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $182 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: $852 in Chiang Mai, $1,039 in Calafat – roughly 22% apart. Calafat costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,559 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,039 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,039 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 $852 in Chiang Mai to $1,039 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.