🙂A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,095 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,696 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,297 in Rădăuți, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Rădăuți, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Rădăuți are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai32% lower, Rădăuți20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.5
$10.09RON 46.28
-79.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿655
$56.4RON 259
-65.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$9.90RON 45.42
-42.73%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.3
$2.17RON 9.93
-16.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.65
$2.48RON 11.36
-68.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.53
$1.36RON 6.25
-74.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.9
$1.41RON 6.48
56.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿127
$2.25RON 10.33
68.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.4
$1.09RON 5.00
88.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.6
$1.09RON 5.02
38.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.69
$1.57RON 7.23
-10.83%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.4
$2.27RON 10.42
-0.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿540
$7.62RON 34.98
112.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.7
$5.58RON 25.62
-48.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$9.24RON 42.40
1.95%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.4
$0.65RON 2.98
312.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.37
$1.53RON 7.02
-28.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿54.0
$1.57RON 7.19
3.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.74
$1.79RON 8.21
-18.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.65
$0.87RON 4.00
47.13%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.31
$0.99RON 4.53
7.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.94
$0.80RON 3.65
-10.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.56
$0.80RON 3.65
-33.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$3.71RON 17.02
14.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿611
$6.45RON 29.60
183.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.4
$0.65RON 2.96
150.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.8
$1.13RON 5.17
156.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.32
$0.73RON 3.37
20.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,795
$22.95RON 105
134.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.14
$0.99RON 4.55
18.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.30
$0.98RON 4.52
-40.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.6
$8.82RON 40.48
-72.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.41
$1.79RON 8.19
-18.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿701.4K
$30.1KRON 138.2K
-30.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿882.0K
$25.8KRON 118.5K
2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,125
$168RON 771
-62.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿430
$9.04RON 41.50
42.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿685
$10.31RON 47.32
99.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,302
$40.58RON 186
-3.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿131
$21.11RON 96.8
-81.43%
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿220
$9.82RON 45.04
-32.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.2K
$373RON 1,711
110.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿489.8K
$10.3KRON 47.4K
41.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,840
$94.7RON 434
-41.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿826
$47.92RON 220
-48.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,142
$106RON 487
-11.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,469
$117RON 537
-36.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.4K
$408RON 1,873
20.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,620
$296RON 1,356
-2.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.8K
$629RON 2,886
41.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.4K
$472RON 2,165
10.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.9K
$1,879RON 8,624
5.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.2K
$1,430RON 6,563
0.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Rădăuți
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.1K
$772RON 3,544
-22.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.8
-18.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Last update for Rădăuți: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $408 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $56.0 in Rădăuți. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $179 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 17% 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 and in Rădăuți?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,642 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 in Rădăuți?
Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $373 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 in Rădăuți?
Interestingly, groceries are about 35% 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 $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Rădăuți?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Rădăuți at $1,095. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rădăuți it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Rădăuți?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,095 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 to 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