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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,036 in Carei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,567 in Carei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,099 in Carei, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Carei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Carei are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Carei 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$9.58 RON 43.79

-79.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$45.95 RON 210

-59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$8.13 RON 37.13

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.66 RON 12.13

-26.69%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.99 RON 9.07

-57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$1.67 RON 7.62

-80.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.26 RON 10.31

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.68 RON 12.24

37.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.50 RON 6.84

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.25 RON 5.69

24.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.69 RON 7.71

-29.59%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$3.39 RON 15.50

-41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$8.38 RON 38.29

93.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.54 RON 29.87

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$10.47 RON 47.83

3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.13 RON 5.16

134.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.60 RON 7.31

-23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.55 RON 7.09

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.96 RON 8.96

-20.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.88 RON 4.01

51.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.93 RON 4.25

30.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.86 RON 3.93

-20.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.83 RON 3.81

-31.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$5.74 RON 26.24

-18.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$7.30 RON 33.34

132.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.03 RON 4.71

76.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.63 RON 7.46

95.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.70 RON 3.21

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$19.48 RON 89.0

-3.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.73 RON 3.33

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.69 RON 3.15

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.96 RON 31.82

16.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.57 RON 7.17

-18.47%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$28.0K RON 127.9K

-22.02%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$27.1K RON 123.7K

-17.24%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$151 RON 688

-53.23%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$8.05 RON 36.80

74.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$8.96 RON 40.94

96.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$40.68 RON 186

1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$18.98 RON 86.7

-64.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.94 RON 31.69

-14.12%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$434 RON 1,983

-30.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,879 RON 31.4K

117.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$67.1 RON 306

-18.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$39.43 RON 180

-33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$76.1 RON 347

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$93.1 RON 425

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$381 RON 1,743

12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$287 RON 1,312

-16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$591 RON 2,700

37.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$445 RON 2,034

14.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$2,162 RON 9,876

-6.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,277 RON 5,833

17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

-23.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Carei: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $381 in Carei. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Carei. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Carei – so Carei 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 Carei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carei costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,553 in Carei. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Carei – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $46.00 in Carei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Carei at $1,036. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Carei it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,036 in Carei. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Carei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.