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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,118 in Galati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,722 in Galati, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,327 in Galati, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Galati are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Galati 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.30 RON 51.1

-82.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$46.26 RON 209

-59.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.28 RON 37.47

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.63 RON 11.91

-27.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$2.21 RON 10.00

-64.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.92 RON 8.68

-81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.26 RON 10.21

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.43 RON 15.52

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.40 RON 6.33

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.90 RON 4.06

81.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.92 RON 8.70

-38.02%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.79 RON 17.13

-47.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.67 RON 39.20

84.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.34 RON 28.69

-52.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.04 RON 40.90

20.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.24 RON 5.63

122.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.72 RON 7.77

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.66 RON 7.51

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.84 RON 8.34

-17.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.06 RON 4.79

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.10 RON 4.96

8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.95 RON 4.29

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 RON 3.37

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.91 RON 26.75

-22.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.61 RON 25.37

195.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.93 RON 4.19

96.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.30 RON 5.86

146.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.60 RON 2.70

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$26.44 RON 120

-29.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.73 RON 3.31

86.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.61 RON 2.78

119.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.44 RON 33.65

5.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.54 RON 6.95

-20.13%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$28.2K RON 127.5K

-23.29%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.1K RON 118.1K

-13.62%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$161 RON 727

-56.11%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.36 RON 37.82

63.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$8.64 RON 39.09

101.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$33.52 RON 152

23.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$38.57 RON 174

-81.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.56 RON 29.68

-12.04%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$647 RON 2,927

-52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,517 RON 25.0K

164.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$100.0 RON 452

-44.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$35.13 RON 159

-25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$63.7 RON 288

34.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$98.6 RON 446

-26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$437 RON 1,978

-1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$349 RON 1,577

-31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$636 RON 2,877

28.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$536 RON 2,426

-4.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,678 RON 7,590

18.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,257 RON 5,685

18.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$934 RON 4,225

-33.74%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Galati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $437 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 51% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Galati. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $200 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 29% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,677 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $647 in Galati. 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 Galati – 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,118 in Galati, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,118 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.