Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ploiesti

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,088 in Ploiesti, 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
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Ploiesti
Learn more

Ploiesti Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Ploiesti

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,088

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,088 in Ploiesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Ploiesti $1,088

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,663 in Ploiesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Ploiesti $1,663

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,238 in Ploiesti, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Ploiesti $2,238

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

Both Chiang Mai and Ploiesti are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ploiesti 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$11.59 RON 54.8

-80.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$46.97 RON 222

-58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.85 RON 37.15

-28.54%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.97 RON 14.07

-44.11%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$2.13 RON 10.07

-67.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$2.12 RON 10.01

-85.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.50 RON 11.81

-3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.32 RON 15.71

11.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.58 RON 7.46

23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.17 RON 5.54

20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.50 RON 7.11

-12.67%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$3.24 RON 15.31

-32.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$7.85 RON 37.15

112.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$6.60 RON 31.21

-58.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.28 RON 43.90

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.30 RON 6.16

83.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.73 RON 8.17

-40.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.38 RON 6.55

18.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.00 RON 9.47

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.78 RON 3.71

65.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.78 RON 3.67

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.69 RON 3.28

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.78 RON 3.68

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$6.44 RON 30.46

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$6.67 RON 31.58

169.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.99 RON 4.69

59.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.40 RON 6.63

102.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.82 RON 3.90

4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$21.31 RON 101

150.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.62 RON 2.93

95.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.64 RON 3.05

-10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$6.38 RON 30.18

-63.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.85 RON 8.77

-22.16%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$28.8K RON 136.4K

-28.08%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$25.2K RON 119.1K

6.49%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$167 RON 792

-62.78%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$6.27 RON 29.67

93.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$8.86 RON 41.91

125.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$43.37 RON 205

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$21.38 RON 101

-82.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$8.66 RON 40.98

-24.94%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$399 RON 1,889

98.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$5,802 RON 27.5K

155.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$73.4 RON 347

-26.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$42.40 RON 201

-41.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$93.5 RON 442

-2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$97.3 RON 460

-26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$421 RON 1,990

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$290 RON 1,371

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$568 RON 2,685

60.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$459 RON 2,170

20.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,967 RON 9,305

-1.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,226 RON 5,802

17.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$993 RON 4,698

-40.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.85

-29.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ploiesti: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Ploiesti

$290 26.6% 2.7% $8

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Ploiesti

$200 18.4% 14.9% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Ploiesti

$138 12.7% 27.5% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ploiesti

$183 16.8% 93.5% $88

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Ploiesti

$188 17.3% 139% $109

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ploiesti

$28 2.6% 53.2% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ploiesti

$61 5.6% 21.3% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $421 in Ploiesti. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 68% higher in Ploiesti, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Ploiesti. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Ploiesti – so Ploiesti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Ploiesti

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

15:34 3:34 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

224,406

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ploiesti 7,220 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ploiesti

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 Ploiesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ploiesti 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,632 in Ploiesti. 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $399 in Ploiesti. 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 Ploiesti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Ploiesti at $1,088. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ploiesti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,088 in Ploiesti. 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, Ploiesti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.