Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Medias

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,102 in Medias, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Medias
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Medias Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Medias

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,102

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Medias actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,102 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Medias $1,102

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,683 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Medias $1,683

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,263 in Medias, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Medias $2,263

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Medias, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Medias are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Medias 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$11.14 RON 53.0

-80.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$51.8 RON 246

-64.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.35 RON 34.94

-23.81%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.70 RON 17.59

-55.14%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$2.46 RON 11.68

-73.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$2.25 RON 10.71

-86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$3.20 RON 15.20

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.27 RON 15.55

12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.23 RON 5.83

64.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.43 RON 6.77

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.73 RON 8.24

-19.65%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$3.59 RON 17.05

-33.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$8.65 RON 41.13

90.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$6.69 RON 31.82

-60.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$12.89 RON 61.3

-30.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.48 RON 7.02

62.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.48 RON 7.04

-29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.55 RON 7.35

7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$2.58 RON 12.28

-39.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.77 RON 3.66

61.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.75 RON 3.57

45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.80 RON 3.78

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.75 RON 3.57

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$6.21 RON 29.50

-33.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$7.54 RON 35.85

137.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.23 RON 5.83

31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.80 RON 8.56

56.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.70 RON 3.32

32.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$23.96 RON 114

120.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.66 RON 3.14

78.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.68 RON 3.23

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$6.60 RON 31.35

-72.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.38 RON 6.56

6.52%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$29.0K RON 137.9K

-27.58%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$25.2K RON 120.0K

5.03%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$180 RON 857

-65.32%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$7.25 RON 34.47

60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$9.26 RON 43.99

119.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$37.03 RON 176

2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$20.31 RON 96.6

-81.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$6.12 RON 29.10

6.37%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$438 RON 2,082

65.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$7,770 RON 36.9K

113.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$52.3 RON 249

2.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$35.51 RON 169

-30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$73.5 RON 349

22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$90.8 RON 432

-20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$389 RON 1,850

23.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$292 RON 1,389

6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$602 RON 2,862

75.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$453 RON 2,152

45.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,039 RON 9,690

18.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,480 RON 7,036

8.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.23

-22.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Medias: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Medias

$292 26.5% 5.7% $18

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Medias

$222 20.2% 6.1% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Medias

$113 10.3% 4.8% $5.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Medias

$197 17.9% 108% $102

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Medias

$197 17.9% 157% $120

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Medias

$31 2.8% 47.5% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Medias

$49 4.5% 3.2% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $389 in Medias. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $52 in Medias. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Medias – so Medias wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Medias

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

05:12 5:12 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

53,564

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 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 November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Medias 7,340 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Medias

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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias costs about 18% 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 $1,653 in Medias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medias, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $389 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $438 in Medias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Medias – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,102 in Medias. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,102 in Medias. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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