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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$11.18 RON 50.6

-81.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$44.31 RON 201

-55.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.84 RON 35.52

-26.15%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.97 RON 13.45

-38.38%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$2.21 RON 10.02

-64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.91 RON 8.66

-83.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$3.38 RON 15.30

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.90 RON 17.65

-5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.67 RON 7.55

21.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.38 RON 6.26

15.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.05 RON 9.29

-30.73%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.52 RON 15.94

-38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.36 RON 37.88

90.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.64 RON 30.08

-53.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.43 RON 47.22

-5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.45 RON 6.58

81.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.71 RON 7.72

-35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.78 RON 8.06

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.26 RON 10.25

-32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.88 RON 4.00

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.90 RON 4.07

25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.22 RON 5.51

-39.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.01 RON 4.58

-50.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$6.82 RON 30.90

-37.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.51 RON 29.47

176.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.40 RON 6.33

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.22 RON 10.05

30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.85 RON 3.84

10.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$28.56 RON 129

93.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.93 RON 4.20

32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.92 RON 4.14

-42.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$8.71 RON 39.44

-72.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.84 RON 8.35

-21.74%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-29.25%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$28.6K RON 129.6K

-4.58%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$191 RON 865

-66.01%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$7.82 RON 35.41

70.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$9.07 RON 41.07

129.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$46.91 RON 212

-13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$16.58 RON 75.1

-76.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.78 RON 39.77

-23.58%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$414 RON 1,874

90.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,254 RON 32.8K

108.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$74.3 RON 337

-24.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$40.27 RON 182

-38.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$94.5 RON 428

-1.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$96.1 RON 435

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$558 RON 2,525

-13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$448 RON 2,031

-35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$932 RON 4,222

-2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$692 RON 3,135

-23.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,998 RON 13.6K

-33.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,996 RON 9,041

-27.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$1,203 RON 5,450

-49.70%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $558 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 99% higher in Iasi, 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 $44.00 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Iasi – so Iasi 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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iasi 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,931 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $414 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, 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 $950, than in Iasi at $1,287. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,287 in Iasi. 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, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.