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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,012 in Mamaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,551 in Mamaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,089 in Mamaia, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$9.73 RON 44.43

-79.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$46.18 RON 211

-60.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$8.01 RON 36.60

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.67 RON 12.20

-26.97%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.92 RON 8.77

-55.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$1.71 RON 7.83

-81.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.28 RON 10.43

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.82 RON 12.87

30.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.47 RON 6.69

12.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.21 RON 5.55

28.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.65 RON 7.52

-27.88%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$3.33 RON 15.21

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$8.37 RON 38.22

94.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.61 RON 30.18

-52.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$9.53 RON 43.54

13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.15 RON 5.25

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.51 RON 6.90

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.60 RON 7.29

3.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$2.20 RON 10.06

-29.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.82 RON 3.75

62.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.96 RON 4.39

26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.93 RON 4.23

-26.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.84 RON 3.86

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$5.96 RON 27.22

-21.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$6.26 RON 28.59

171.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.02 RON 4.64

78.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.70 RON 7.78

87.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$0.66 RON 3.02

37.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$20.04 RON 91.6

-6.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.71 RON 3.22

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.71 RON 3.25

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$7.02 RON 32.06

15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.56 RON 7.11

-17.95%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$28.5K RON 130.3K

-23.49%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$27.4K RON 125.0K

-18.12%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$145 RON 662

-51.33%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$8.32 RON 38.00

68.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$8.89 RON 40.62

98.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$40.81 RON 186

1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$19.04 RON 87.0

-64.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.86 RON 31.36

-13.12%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$423 RON 1,933

-28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$6,834 RON 31.2K

118.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$67.6 RON 309

-19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$39.55 RON 181

-33.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$75.5 RON 345

13.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$94.7 RON 433

-26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$394 RON 1,802

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$295 RON 1,349

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$582 RON 2,660

39.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$432 RON 1,971

18.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$1,915 RON 8,749

5.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$1,469 RON 6,712

2.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mamaia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $394 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Mamaia. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 19% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,518 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $423 in Mamaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,012 in Mamaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,012 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.