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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,143 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,718 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,293 in Giurgiu, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Giurgiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Giurgiu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Giurgiu 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$12.39 RON 56.6

-84.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$50.8 RON 232

-63.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$7.87 RON 35.96

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.48 RON 15.90

-43.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.93 RON 8.83

-55.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$2.02 RON 9.21

-84.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.30 RON 15.08

-35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$3.51 RON 16.02

4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.52 RON 6.96

9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.35 RON 6.17

15.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.75 RON 7.98

-32.00%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$3.26 RON 14.88

-38.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$8.89 RON 40.60

82.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.90 RON 31.53

-54.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$12.13 RON 55.4

-10.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.14 RON 5.23

132.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.69 RON 7.73

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.54 RON 7.04

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$2.43 RON 11.11

-36.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.94 RON 4.29

41.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.07 RON 4.91

13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.90 RON 4.09

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.84 RON 3.84

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$5.89 RON 26.91

-20.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$8.77 RON 40.07

93.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.10 RON 5.04

65.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.71 RON 7.83

85.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.67 RON 3.05

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$19.55 RON 89.3

-4.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.75 RON 3.45

88.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.70 RON 3.21

91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$6.71 RON 30.64

21.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.61 RON 7.35

-20.50%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$28.0K RON 128.0K

-22.12%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$27.3K RON 124.6K

-17.88%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$164 RON 751

-57.14%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$8.01 RON 36.59

75.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$8.79 RON 40.16

100.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$41.11 RON 188

0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$19.06 RON 87.1

-64.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$11.08 RON 50.6

-46.21%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$444 RON 2,030

-31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,630 RON 30.3K

125.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$68.1 RON 311

-19.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$43.08 RON 197

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$98.1 RON 448

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$98.4 RON 449

-29.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$390 RON 1,784

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$287 RON 1,312

-16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$583 RON 2,664

39.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$446 RON 2,040

14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,644 RON 7,509

23.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,177 RON 5,376

27.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Giurgiu: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $390 in Giurgiu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Giurgiu. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Giurgiu – so Giurgiu 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 Giurgiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Giurgiu costs about 35% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,714 in Giurgiu. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $444 in Giurgiu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Giurgiu – 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 $848, than in Giurgiu at $1,143. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giurgiu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,143 in Giurgiu. 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, Giurgiu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.