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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,037 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,555 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,073 in Mamaia, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Mamaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Mamaia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mamaia 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$10.05 RON 45.70

-79.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$45.29 RON 206

-58.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.63 RON 34.68

3.01%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.56 RON 11.66

-20.70%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.91 RON 8.70

-58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.74 RON 7.89

-79.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.29 RON 10.40

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.83 RON 12.84

29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.52 RON 6.90

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.26 RON 5.73

24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.62 RON 7.38

-25.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.30 RON 15.02

-40.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.46 RON 38.45

91.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.81 RON 30.96

-55.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$9.96 RON 45.29

8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.19 RON 5.41

132.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.54 RON 6.99

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.56 RON 7.10

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.20 RON 10.01

-27.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.88 RON 3.99

57.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.93 RON 4.24

24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.90 RON 4.09

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.83 RON 3.79

-37.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.98 RON 27.17

-22.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.15 RON 27.96

189.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.01 RON 4.60

77.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.62 RON 7.35

106.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.71 RON 3.24

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.81 RON 90.1

-5.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.72 RON 3.27

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.72 RON 3.26

86.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.83 RON 31.04

18.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.54 RON 6.99

-20.13%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.4K RON 129.3K

-24.64%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.0K RON 122.8K

-19.23%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$145 RON 659

-50.77%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.94 RON 36.11

76.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.23 RON 41.97

94.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.76 RON 190

-2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.30 RON 87.7

-64.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.74 RON 30.65

-15.13%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$432 RON 1,965

-28.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,919 RON 31.5K

112.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$69.0 RON 314

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$40.32 RON 183

-35.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.2 RON 342

12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.1 RON 432

-25.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$386 RON 1,753

9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$286 RON 1,302

-15.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$576 RON 2,619

38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$430 RON 1,954

17.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,920 RON 8,729

-0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,473 RON 6,695

-0.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $386 in Mamaia. 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 $45.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Mamaia – so Mamaia 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 Mamaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mamaia costs about 22% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,555 in Mamaia. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $432 in Mamaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Mamaia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,037 in Mamaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,037 in Mamaia. 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, Mamaia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.