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 $1,140 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,763 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,385 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$14.00 RON 63.6

-85.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$69.0 RON 314

-72.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.29 RON 37.70

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.30 RON 14.99

-38.48%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.89 RON 8.59

-57.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.32 RON 5.99

-73.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.24 RON 10.17

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.19 RON 14.50

15.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.71 RON 7.76

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.24 RON 5.63

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.91 RON 8.70

-37.17%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.14 RON 14.30

-37.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.80 RON 44.55

65.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.65 RON 30.25

-53.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.68 RON 53.1

-7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.41 RON 6.40

96.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.80 RON 8.16

-35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.72 RON 7.80

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.42 RON 11.00

-34.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.05 RON 4.77

32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.15 RON 5.22

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.03 RON 4.70

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.91 RON 4.13

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.27 RON 28.53

-25.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.37 RON 28.98

179.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.09 RON 4.95

64.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.77 RON 8.06

88.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.67 RON 3.06

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.09 RON 91.4

-7.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.97 RON 4.39

45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.75 RON 3.40

78.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$8.14 RON 37.02

-0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.64 RON 7.47

-25.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-24.68%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.9K RON 126.8K

-21.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$188 RON 856

-62.10%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.99 RON 36.34

75.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.01 RON 40.96

99.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$41.95 RON 191

-2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.46 RON 88.5

-64.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$8.12 RON 36.91

-29.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$556 RON 2,528

-44.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,245 RON 37.5K

78.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$70.4 RON 320

-20.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$66.3 RON 302

-60.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.2 RON 342

12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.1 RON 364

-11.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$381 RON 1,733

11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$292 RON 1,329

-17.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$577 RON 2,622

38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$432 RON 1,965

17.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,939 RON 8,815

-1.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,299 RON 5,908

12.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $381 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 $69.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $226 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 34% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,710 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $556 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 8% cheaper in Ramnicu Sarat – 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 $852, than in Ramnicu Sarat at $1,140. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramnicu Sarat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,140 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.