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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,126 in Craiova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,662 in Craiova, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,198 in Craiova, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Craiova are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Craiova 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.99 RON 40.66

-78.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$45.57 RON 206

-59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.23 RON 37.21

-4.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.58 RON 11.67

-24.42%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.09 RON 9.46

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.96 RON 8.88

-82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.27 RON 10.24

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.52 RON 15.90

5.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.51 RON 6.81

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.92 RON 4.17

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.70 RON 7.67

-32.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.34 RON 15.09

-42.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.74 RON 34.99

109.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.65 RON 30.08

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.69 RON 43.82

12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.29 RON 5.81

113.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.71 RON 7.72

-29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.54 RON 6.98

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.81 RON 8.19

-12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.03 RON 4.67

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.08 RON 4.87

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.83 RON 3.77

-20.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.74 RON 3.36

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.98 RON 27.03

-21.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.27 RON 28.34

197.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.29 RON 5.85

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.29 RON 10.34

41.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.72 RON 3.27

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$22.98 RON 104

-16.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.56 RON 2.52

151.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.86 RON 3.91

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.78 RON 30.67

15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.61 RON 7.29

-21.12%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.7K RON 125.1K

-23.09%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.2K RON 122.7K

-18.19%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$212 RON 959

-67.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.96 RON 35.97

76.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$11.53 RON 52.1

56.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.57 RON 165

12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.92 RON 85.5

-63.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.53 RON 29.52

-9.34%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$434 RON 1,962

-31.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,152 RON 41.4K

63.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$78.5 RON 355

-30.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$37.39 RON 169

-28.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.4 RON 354

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$85.1 RON 385

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$383 RON 1,729

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$306 RON 1,382

-22.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$719 RON 3,251

11.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$443 RON 2,002

16.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,663 RON 12.0K

-25.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,094 RON 9,466

-29.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,007 RON 4,551

-38.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

-20.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Craiova: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $383 in Craiova. 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 63% higher in Craiova, 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 $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Craiova – so Craiova 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova costs about 30% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,689 in Craiova. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $434 in Craiova. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Craiova – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,126 in Craiova, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,126 in Craiova. 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, Craiova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.