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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $692 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,087 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,483 in Orhei, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Orhei 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$8.59 MDL 150

-77.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$36.89 MDL 642

-50.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.62 MDL 133

-1.84%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.83 MDL 31.81

10.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.91 MDL 15.88

-6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.69 MDL 11.95

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.73 MDL 30.08

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.30 MDL 39.98

56.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.29 MDL 22.49

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.53 MDL 9.22

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.50 MDL 26.15

-20.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.49 MDL 43.42

-22.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$10.34 MDL 180

56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.56 MDL 96.8

-46.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.79 MDL 153

24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.90 MDL 15.63

201.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.84 MDL 31.95

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.70 MDL 29.52

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.16 MDL 37.63

-25.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.76 MDL 13.27

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.56 MDL 9.72

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.35 MDL 23.44

-50.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.84 MDL 14.71

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.31 MDL 57.6

40.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.21 MDL 21.13

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.90 MDL 33.06

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.17 MDL 2.92

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.06 MDL 35.89

-33.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.25 MDL 4.34

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.11 MDL 89.0

60.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.36 MDL 23.75

-10.29%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.8K MDL 553.9K

-32.89%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$31.6K MDL 550.9K

-28.80%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$173 MDL 3,003

-59.03%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.44 MDL 130

88.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$10.64 MDL 185

64.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.43 MDL 129

-20.32%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$387 MDL 6,744

-20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,675 MDL 133.6K

93.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$65.2 MDL 1,135

-14.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$54.5 MDL 948

-52.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$114 MDL 1,984

-27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$124 MDL 2,167

-43.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Orhei: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Orhei. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Orhei – so Orhei 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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Orhei, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,038 in Orhei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $692 in Orhei, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Orhei costs $692 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Orhei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.