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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Galati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,696 in Galati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,307 in Galati, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Galati are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Galati 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.77 RON 49.43

-80.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$43.88 RON 201

-55.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.51 RON 34.45

-24.50%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$2.65 RON 12.17

-31.70%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.17 RON 9.97

-64.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.98 RON 9.09

-82.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.25 RON 10.33

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.22 RON 14.78

17.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.30 RON 5.95

57.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.69 RON 3.15

118.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.78 RON 8.18

-21.35%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.50 RON 16.06

-35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.89 RON 36.19

105.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.14 RON 28.15

-52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.73 RON 40.05

7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.36 RON 6.22

97.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.60 RON 7.36

-31.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.59 RON 7.31

1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.85 RON 8.47

-21.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.96 RON 4.39

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.09 RON 5.02

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.86 RON 3.94

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.71 RON 3.25

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.05 RON 27.76

-30.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.62 RON 25.78

225.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.02 RON 4.69

59.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.29 RON 5.93

124.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.74 RON 3.39

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$25.56 RON 117

110.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.64 RON 2.95

82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.73 RON 3.33

-20.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.08 RON 32.49

-66.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.71 RON 7.84

-15.20%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$29.5K RON 135.4K

-28.79%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$26.3K RON 120.5K

0.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$155 RON 712

-58.98%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$7.90 RON 36.25

63.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$8.38 RON 38.46

144.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.40 RON 181

-0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$36.34 RON 167

-89.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.48 RON 29.71

1.54%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$612 RON 2,809

28.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$5,233 RON 24.0K

180.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$99.4 RON 456

-44.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$33.22 RON 152

-25.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$64.8 RON 297

45.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$87.6 RON 402

-15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$402 RON 1,846

21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$328 RON 1,503

-12.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$803 RON 3,686

10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$584 RON 2,681

-10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,671 RON 7,666

18.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,280 RON 5,872

12.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$952 RON 4,370

-36.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Galati: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $402 in Galati. 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 58% higher in Galati, 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 Galati. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Galati – so Galati 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 Galati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galati costs about 16% 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 $1,628 in Galati. 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 $612 in Galati. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Galati – 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 Galati at $1,086. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Galati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,086 in Galati. 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, Galati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.