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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,126 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,729 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,332 in Giurgiu, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% 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 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$12.13 RON 52.9

-83.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$49.90 RON 218

-62.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.03 RON 34.99

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.58 RON 15.61

-46.65%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.95 RON 8.50

-56.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$2.11 RON 9.19

-83.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.25 RON 14.18

-32.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.43 RON 14.95

10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.55 RON 6.77

5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.30 RON 5.67

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.76 RON 7.69

-32.95%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.38 RON 14.72

-40.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.45 RON 36.83

88.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.81 RON 29.68

-55.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.80 RON 51.4

-8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.17 RON 5.11

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.65 RON 7.20

-26.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.60 RON 6.96

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.47 RON 10.77

-36.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.01 RON 4.41

30.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.07 RON 4.65

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.93 RON 4.07

-27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.84 RON 3.66

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.73 RON 24.97

-20.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.83 RON 29.78

166.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.11 RON 4.83

64.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.67 RON 7.30

93.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.67 RON 2.91

32.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$20.16 RON 87.9

-3.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.71 RON 3.09

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.73 RON 3.19

84.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.90 RON 30.08

19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.67 RON 7.27

-23.95%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.5K RON 124.2K

-25.72%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$27.8K RON 121.3K

-19.17%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$164 RON 713

-57.11%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.32 RON 36.26

65.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$8.82 RON 38.45

99.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.37 RON 180

0.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.38 RON 84.5

-65.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$10.93 RON 47.64

-47.12%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$456 RON 1,986

-32.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,642 RON 29.0K

123.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$67.3 RON 293

-19.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$43.67 RON 190

-40.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$98.6 RON 430

-14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$98.1 RON 428

-29.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$388 RON 1,693

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$287 RON 1,252

-17.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$592 RON 2,580

39.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$439 RON 1,915

17.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,680 RON 7,324

22.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,351 RON 5,890

12.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Giurgiu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $388 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Giurgiu. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $220 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 32% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,690 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $456 in Giurgiu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% 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 $852, than in Giurgiu at $1,126. 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 $852 versus $1,126 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.