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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $940 in Focsani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,460 in Focsani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,979 in Focsani, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Focsani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Focsani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Focsani 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.83 RON 35.60

-73.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$45.35 RON 206

-58.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.60 RON 25.45

40.36%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.85 RON 8.43

9.73%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.59 RON 7.22

-49.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.37 RON 6.22

-74.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.89 RON 8.57

13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.84 RON 12.89

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.54 RON 7.02

12.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.79 RON 3.59

98.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.81 RON 8.24

-33.70%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.94 RON 13.36

-32.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.67 RON 39.44

87.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.09 RON 32.21

-56.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.22 RON 55.6

-11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.99 RON 4.49

179.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.36 RON 6.19

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.34 RON 6.09

27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.34 RON 10.64

-32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.72 RON 3.29

93.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.90 RON 4.09

28.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.60 RON 2.71

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.83 RON 3.79

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.83 RON 26.49

-20.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.26 RON 19.36

317.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.11 RON 5.04

61.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.14 RON 5.18

192.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.57 RON 2.59

59.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$14.51 RON 66.0

28.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.72 RON 3.29

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.69 RON 3.16

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.02 RON 31.91

15.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.58 RON 7.17

-22.15%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$27.7K RON 125.8K

-22.51%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.8K RON 126.5K

-21.56%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$165 RON 749

-56.73%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.14 RON 37.01

72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.21 RON 41.87

94.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$17.09 RON 77.7

138.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.47 RON 88.5

-64.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$11.07 RON 50.3

-48.33%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$422 RON 1,921

-27.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,516 RON 29.6K

125.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$68.0 RON 309

-18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$42.39 RON 193

-38.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$58.5 RON 266

45.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$69.7 RON 317

1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$347 RON 1,579

21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$281 RON 1,278

-13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$584 RON 2,655

36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$437 RON 1,987

15.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,083 RON 4,922

77.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$896 RON 4,071

63.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$697 RON 3,169

-14.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Focsani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $347 in Focsani. 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 17% higher in Focsani, 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 $45.00 in Focsani. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Focsani – so Focsani 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 Focsani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Focsani costs about 10% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,409 in Focsani. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $422 in Focsani. 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 Focsani – 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $940 in Focsani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $940 in Focsani. 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, Focsani makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.