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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,023 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,705 in Chisinau, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$11.65 MDL 199

-82.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$50.2 MDL 859

-60.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.85 MDL 151

-36.16%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.19 MDL 37.42

-17.35%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.30 MDL 22.22

-45.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.89 MDL 15.29

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.31 MDL 39.44

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.09 MDL 35.69

73.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.26 MDL 21.51

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.70 MDL 11.90

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.45 MDL 24.82

-7.59%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.83 MDL 48.36

-20.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$10.38 MDL 177

56.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.44 MDL 93.0

-45.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$9.23 MDL 158

7.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.04 MDL 17.85

147.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.01 MDL 34.39

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.18 MDL 37.36

-26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$2.35 MDL 40.16

-35.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.68 MDL 11.64

86.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.57 MDL 9.75

87.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.49 MDL 25.42

-51.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.89 MDL 15.16

-42.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.40 MDL 58.2

23.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$4.71 MDL 80.5

279.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.32 MDL 22.53

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.96 MDL 33.48

44.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.42 MDL 7.22

121.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$13.75 MDL 235

291.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$2.32 MDL 39.65

-46.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.34 MDL 5.76

70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$5.35 MDL 91.5

-54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.64 MDL 28.11

-14.02%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$30.5K MDL 521.5K

-29.69%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$31.2K MDL 534.1K

-12.49%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$256 MDL 4,381

-75.15%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$9.82 MDL 168

30.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.05 MDL 189

82.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$44.19 MDL 756

-12.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$21.05 MDL 360

-81.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$8.72 MDL 149

-22.71%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$437 MDL 7,469

78.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$6,037 MDL 103.2K

142.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$81.1 MDL 1,387

-33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$49.11 MDL 840

-48.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$123 MDL 2,101

-23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$117 MDL 1,995

-37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$706 MDL 12.1K

-30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$443 MDL 7,582

-34.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

-31.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$862 MDL 14.7K

-40.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

-29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$2,007 MDL 34.3K

-26.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$919 MDL 15.7K

-34.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.41

-40.81%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $706 in Chisinau. 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 53% higher in Chisinau, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Chisinau – so Chisinau 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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chisinau costs about 41% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,010 in Chisinau. 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.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $437 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Chisinau at $1,340. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,340 in Chisinau. 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, Chisinau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.