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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $683 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,091 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,499 in Orhei, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.57 MDL 147

-77.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$36.37 MDL 625

-48.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.38 MDL 127

5.96%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.87 MDL 32.15

4.28%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.92 MDL 15.87

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.70 MDL 12.00

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.79 MDL 30.82

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.36 MDL 40.54

58.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.27 MDL 21.88

34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 MDL 9.51

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.50 MDL 25.76

-24.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.58 MDL 44.40

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.17 MDL 175

59.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.46 MDL 93.9

-42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.60 MDL 148

26.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.88 MDL 15.21

212.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.84 MDL 31.66

-34.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.79 MDL 30.72

-9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.17 MDL 37.36

-26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.82 MDL 14.18

70.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.56 MDL 9.60

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.30 MDL 22.34

-49.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.82 MDL 14.05

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.31 MDL 56.9

41.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.21 MDL 20.87

48.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.93 MDL 33.17

67.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.18 MDL 3.17

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.06 MDL 35.44

-31.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.27 MDL 4.67

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.41 MDL 93.1

44.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.43 MDL 24.57

-11.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.0K MDL 549.6K

-33.45%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.5K MDL 523.9K

-27.12%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$174 MDL 2,993

-60.33%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.33 MDL 126

92.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.85 MDL 187

65.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.80 MDL 134

-24.10%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$392 MDL 6,739

-23.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,545 MDL 129.7K

98.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$66.0 MDL 1,134

-17.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$54.0 MDL 929

-50.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$111 MDL 1,910

-23.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$123 MDL 2,116

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Orhei: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Orhei. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $180 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 27% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,024 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $683 in Orhei, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Orhei costs $683 versus $866 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.