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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,149 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,755 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,361 in Giurgiu, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Giurgiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Giurgiu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Giurgiu 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$12.31 RON 56.4

-83.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$55.4 RON 254

-64.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.83 RON 35.85

-27.59%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.89 RON 17.84

-53.47%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.58 RON 11.81

-70.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$2.23 RON 10.23

-84.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.25 RON 14.89

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.44 RON 15.74

10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.63 RON 7.45

25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.46 RON 6.68

3.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.79 RON 8.19

-21.79%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.65 RON 16.70

-38.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.03 RON 41.38

79.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.97 RON 31.93

-58.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.33 RON 61.1

-29.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.59 RON 7.26

68.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.65 RON 7.55

-33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.66 RON 7.62

-2.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.77 RON 12.67

-47.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.85 RON 3.90

50.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.96 RON 4.40

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.95 RON 4.35

-24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.85 RON 3.90

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.29 RON 28.81

-32.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.77 RON 35.58

135.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.29 RON 5.92

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.92 RON 8.79

51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.79 RON 3.63

11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.48 RON 103

139.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.67 RON 3.07

74.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.70 RON 3.19

-17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.64 RON 30.43

-64.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.84 RON 8.43

-21.20%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.5K RON 135.1K

-28.77%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

-2.12%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$191 RON 874

-66.64%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.34 RON 38.20

54.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.30 RON 42.60

120.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$35.39 RON 162

10.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$23.98 RON 110

-83.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.81 RON 44.93

-32.93%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$467 RON 2,137

68.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,234 RON 33.1K

102.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$54.3 RON 249

1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$37.16 RON 170

-33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.7 RON 361

19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$95.4 RON 437

-22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$409 RON 1,874

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$322 RON 1,474

-10.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$626 RON 2,867

42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$504 RON 2,310

3.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,770 RON 8,106

11.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,348 RON 6,177

7.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$937 RON 4,290

-35.77%

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 Giurgiu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $409 in Giurgiu. 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 56% higher in Giurgiu, 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 $55.0 in Giurgiu. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $237 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 23% 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 $1,724 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $467 in Giurgiu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $932, than in Giurgiu at $1,149. 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 $932 versus $1,149 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.