Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ramnicu Sarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ramnicu Sarat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,819 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,475 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Ramnicu Sarat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ramnicu Sarat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ramnicu Sarat 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$13.72 RON 59.8

-85.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$70.2 RON 306

-73.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.26 RON 35.99

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.41 RON 14.85

-43.99%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.96 RON 8.53

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.31 RON 5.69

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.33 RON 10.15

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.19 RON 13.93

19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.71 RON 7.44

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.24 RON 5.41

30.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.86 RON 8.09

-36.56%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.20 RON 13.95

-37.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.88 RON 43.08

60.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.73 RON 29.34

-55.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.68 RON 50.9

-7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.40 RON 6.11

86.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.74 RON 7.57

-29.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.72 RON 7.52

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.42 RON 10.53

-34.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.05 RON 4.56

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.11 RON 4.83

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.00 RON 4.36

-33.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.86 RON 3.76

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.58 RON 28.71

-31.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.09 RON 30.90

156.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.15 RON 5.00

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.84 RON 8.03

75.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.70 RON 3.06

27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.47 RON 84.9

-0.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.90 RON 3.91

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.75 RON 3.27

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$8.27 RON 36.05

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.69 RON 7.39

-24.85%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$28.5K RON 124.3K

-25.81%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.0K RON 122.0K

-19.65%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$183 RON 798

-61.65%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.69 RON 33.54

79.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.20 RON 40.12

91.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$42.17 RON 184

-1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.54 RON 85.2

-66.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.22 RON 35.83

-29.68%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$551 RON 2,403

-44.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,429 RON 36.7K

75.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$69.9 RON 305

-22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$64.0 RON 279

-59.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$76.3 RON 333

10.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$79.2 RON 345

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$384 RON 1,675

10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$295 RON 1,285

-19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$598 RON 2,608

37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$433 RON 1,888

18.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,837 RON 8,008

11.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,341 RON 5,846

13.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

-26.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $384 in Ramnicu Sarat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $70.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $228 in Ramnicu Sarat – so Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ramnicu Sarat costs about 36% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,744 in Ramnicu Sarat. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $551 in Ramnicu Sarat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Ramnicu Sarat – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,163 in Ramnicu Sarat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,163 in Ramnicu Sarat. 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, Ramnicu Sarat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.