Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ramnicu Sarat

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,086 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Ramnicu Sarat
Learn more

Ramnicu Sarat Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Ramnicu Sarat

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,086

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ramnicu Sarat

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Ramnicu Sarat $1,086

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,714 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Ramnicu Sarat $1,714

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,343 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Ramnicu Sarat $2,343

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Ramnicu Sarat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ramnicu Sarat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ramnicu Sarat 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$13.82 RON 65.7

-84.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$62.0 RON 295

-69.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.21 RON 34.26

-22.33%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.37 RON 16.03

-50.74%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$1.86 RON 8.86

-65.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$1.29 RON 6.15

-76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$2.18 RON 10.37

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.12 RON 14.81

17.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.61 RON 7.67

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.16 RON 5.53

21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.67 RON 7.95

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$3.03 RON 14.41

-21.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$7.93 RON 37.71

108.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$5.81 RON 27.59

-54.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$8.82 RON 41.93

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.30 RON 6.18

84.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.59 RON 7.57

-34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.62 RON 7.72

2.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$2.69 RON 12.78

-42.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.91 RON 4.30

36.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.93 RON 4.42

17.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.00 RON 4.74

-24.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.82 RON 3.90

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$6.43 RON 30.54

-35.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$6.41 RON 30.46

179.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.06 RON 5.05

52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.69 RON 8.02

66.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.81 RON 3.83

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$24.76 RON 118

113.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.81 RON 3.85

45.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.71 RON 3.36

-76.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$7.23 RON 34.36

-74.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.92 RON 9.14

-23.44%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$28.5K RON 135.5K

-26.27%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$25.0K RON 118.8K

6.06%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$164 RON 779

-61.83%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$7.48 RON 35.54

55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$7.73 RON 36.75

162.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$38.46 RON 183

-1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$19.65 RON 93.4

-81.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$6.91 RON 32.84

-5.79%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$567 RON 2,694

28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$9,624 RON 45.7K

72.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$64.3 RON 306

-16.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$44.70 RON 212

-44.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$87.9 RON 418

2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$86.5 RON 411

-16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$437 RON 2,075

10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$290 RON 1,379

6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$581 RON 2,762

82.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$487 RON 2,314

35.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$1,877 RON 8,920

28.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,290 RON 6,131

24.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.99

-20.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Ramnicu Sarat

$290 26.7% 6.4% $20

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Ramnicu Sarat

$202 18.6% 14.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Ramnicu Sarat

$128 11.8% 17.8% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ramnicu Sarat

$179 16.5% 89.6% $85

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Ramnicu Sarat

$202 18.7% 164% $126

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Ramnicu Sarat

$32 3% 44.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Ramnicu Sarat

$52 4.8% 2.7% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $437 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 in Chiang Mai versus $62 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $202 in Ramnicu Sarat – so Ramnicu Sarat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Ramnicu Sarat

🕒 Local time

13:54 1:54 PM

08:54 8:54 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

41,405

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 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 November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ramnicu Sarat 7,140 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ramnicu Sarat

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 Ramnicu Sarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ramnicu Sarat costs about 16% 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,628 in Ramnicu Sarat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $437 in Ramnicu Sarat. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $567 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 15% cheaper in Ramnicu Sarat – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,086 in Ramnicu Sarat. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,086 in Ramnicu Sarat. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.