Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Iasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,256 in Iasi, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Iasi
Learn more

Iasi Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Iasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,256

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Iasi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Iasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Iasi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Iasi $1,256

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,841 in Iasi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Iasi $1,841

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,425 in Iasi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Iasi $2,425

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Iasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Iasi 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$10.50 RON 50.5

-78.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$42.22 RON 203

-55.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$7.18 RON 34.49

-22.70%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.95 RON 14.19

-43.39%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.28 RON 10.95

-71.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.78 RON 8.54

-82.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.20 RON 15.37

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.84 RON 18.44

-4.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.55 RON 7.45

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.31 RON 6.31

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.97 RON 9.49

-32.49%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.25 RON 15.64

-29.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$8.23 RON 39.57

99.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$6.59 RON 31.66

-57.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.07 RON 48.38

-7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.31 RON 6.29

79.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.62 RON 7.77

-40.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.68 RON 8.05

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.12 RON 10.20

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.86 RON 4.12

48.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.82 RON 3.96

34.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.10 RON 5.30

-35.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.94 RON 4.51

-47.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$6.11 RON 29.38

-32.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$6.64 RON 31.92

163.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.34 RON 6.43

20.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.12 RON 10.17

31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.85 RON 4.09

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$27.49 RON 132

96.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.80 RON 3.85

45.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.87 RON 4.18

-39.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$8.14 RON 39.10

-70.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.92 RON 9.24

-24.48%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$28.6K RON 137.4K

-26.34%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$25.8K RON 124.2K

4.25%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$181 RON 870

-65.67%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$7.28 RON 35.01

67.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.20 RON 39.41

145.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$43.94 RON 211

-15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$15.95 RON 76.7

-76.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.58 RON 41.24

-24.36%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$385 RON 1,853

90.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$6,965 RON 33.5K

112.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$73.6 RON 354

-27.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$38.25 RON 184

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$92.0 RON 442

-0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$89.0 RON 428

-19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$542 RON 2,607

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$435 RON 2,090

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$836 RON 4,020

20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$645 RON 3,100

-1.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,797 RON 13.4K

-15.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,907 RON 9,166

-16.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,130 RON 5,429

-47.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.18

-22.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Iasi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Iasi

$435 34.6% 40.8% $126

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Iasi

$215 17.1% 8.3% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Iasi

$132 10.5% 21.3% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Iasi

$197 15.7% 108% $102

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Iasi

$181 14.4% 133% $103

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Iasi

$36 2.9% 41.2% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Iasi

$61 4.9% 21.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $542 in Iasi. 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 92% higher in Iasi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $42 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $215 in Iasi – so Iasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Iasi

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

22:50 10:50 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

290,422

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 RON = 0.208 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.81 RON (1 RON = 0.208 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Iasi 7,090 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Iasi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,884 in Iasi. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $542 in Iasi.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $385 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Iasi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,256 in Iasi. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,256 in Iasi. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.