🙂A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,470 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,033 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Rădăuți, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Rădăuți are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai35% lower, Rădăuți32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98฿64.3
$10.49RON 47.47
-81.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80฿612
$58.4RON 264
-67.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75฿252
$8.10RON 36.65
-4.32%
Cappuccino
$1.92฿62.5
$2.27RON 10.26
-15.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79฿25.79
$2.41RON 10.91
-67.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.62
$1.41RON 6.40
-74.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.52RON 6.87
45.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.25RON 10.16
62.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿53.8
$1.17RON 5.29
41.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$1.17RON 5.30
39.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿38.86
$1.64RON 7.41
-27.44%
Eggs
$2.00฿65.1
$2.34RON 10.57
-14.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98฿520
$8.12RON 36.75
96.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03฿98.5
$5.61RON 25.36
-45.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿354
$9.74RON 44.04
11.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76฿90.0
$0.68RON 3.07
305.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18฿38.42
$1.62RON 7.35
-27.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.57RON 7.11
4.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.51
$1.82RON 8.22
-16.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿45.10
$0.95RON 4.31
45.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19฿38.84
$0.98RON 4.44
21.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70฿22.86
$0.79RON 3.57
-11.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.13
$0.83RON 3.77
-32.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58฿149
$3.93RON 17.77
16.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿539
$6.49RON 29.37
155.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.5
$0.68RON 3.06
169.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20฿104
$1.14RON 5.15
180.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿28.56
$0.67RON 3.02
31.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72฿610
$19.81RON 89.6
-5.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿44.16
$1.01RON 4.58
34.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿43.65
$0.83RON 3.75
61.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$9.50RON 43.00
-17.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23฿39.92
$1.71RON 7.73
-28.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K฿704.3K
$28.5KRON 128.8K
-24.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿734.3K
$27.0KRON 122.0K
-16.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5฿2,298
$161RON 727
-56.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68฿445
$9.21RON 41.68
48.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45฿568
$10.22RON 46.24
70.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33฿1,346
$40.62RON 184
1.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
$19.28RON 87.2
-63.90%
Cinema Ticket
$5.77฿188
$8.29RON 37.48
-30.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307฿10.0K
$398RON 1,799
-22.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿475.9K
$10.7KRON 48.3K
36.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,817
$69.9RON 316
-20.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21฿854
$40.68RON 184
-35.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8฿2,793
$84.2RON 381
1.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2฿2,353
$98.6RON 446
-26.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.0K
$231RON 1,045
86.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿7,774
$174RON 789
36.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817฿26.6K
$461RON 2,085
77.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511฿16.6K
$350RON 1,583
45.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983฿64.6K
$2,056RON 9,298
-3.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484฿48.3K
$1,268RON 5,737
17.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619฿20.2K
$789RON 3,569
-21.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
5.85
-14.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Rădăuți: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $231 in Rădăuți. 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 28% higher in Rădăuți, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $58.0 in Rădăuți. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Rădăuți – so Rădăuți 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 Rădăuți: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
Rădăuți costs about 4% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Rădăuți?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,361 in Rădăuți. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Rădăuți?
Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $398 in Rădăuți. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Rădăuți – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $908 in Rădăuți, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $908 in Rădăuți. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Rădăuți?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rădăuți makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared