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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Focsani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,708 in Focsani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,356 in Focsani, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Focsani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Focsani are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Focsani 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$7.79 RON 35.72

-73.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$44.04 RON 202

-55.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.71 RON 35.39

-26.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.52 RON 11.56

-28.17%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.99 RON 9.15

-61.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.72 RON 7.91

-79.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.93 RON 8.83

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.69 RON 12.35

40.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.81 RON 8.33

13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.14 RON 5.24

32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.36 RON 6.23

2.94%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.27 RON 15.01

-30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.31 RON 42.72

73.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$7.21 RON 33.06

-59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.87 RON 49.88

-13.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.28 RON 5.89

109.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.65 RON 7.59

-33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.63 RON 7.47

-0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.29 RON 10.49

-36.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.88 RON 4.04

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.77 RON 3.52

37.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.64 RON 2.92

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.74 RON 3.39

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.09 RON 27.95

-30.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$4.45 RON 20.44

311.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.21 RON 5.54

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.58 RON 7.27

83.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.86 RON 3.94

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$16.82 RON 77.2

219.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.68 RON 3.12

72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.64 RON 2.92

-9.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$6.50 RON 29.81

-63.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.79 RON 8.21

-18.99%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$26.6K RON 121.9K

-20.94%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$25.9K RON 118.8K

2.02%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$178 RON 816

-64.21%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$8.43 RON 38.69

52.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$10.03 RON 46.02

104.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$29.24 RON 134

33.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$38.02 RON 174

-89.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.72 RON 40.02

-24.54%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$325 RON 1,491

141.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$14.8K RON 68.0K

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$93.9 RON 431

-41.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$39.77 RON 182

-37.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$82.4 RON 378

14.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$97.8 RON 449

-24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$396 RON 1,817

23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$302 RON 1,387

-4.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$958 RON 4,395

-6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$671 RON 3,077

-22.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,124 RON 5,159

75.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$924 RON 4,242

56.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$707 RON 3,245

-14.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.76

-17.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Focsani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $396 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 18% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Focsani. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $213 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 14% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,589 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $325 in Focsani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Focsani – 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 $932, than in Focsani at $1,060. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Focsani it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,060 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.