Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Resita

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,005 in Resita, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Resita outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Resita
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Resita Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Resita

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,005

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Resita

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,005 in Resita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Resita $1,005

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,505 in Resita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Resita $1,505

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,005 in Resita, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Resita $2,005

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Resita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Resita are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Resita 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$7.51 RON 35.69

-71.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$41.46 RON 197

-55.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.22 RON 34.33

-22.44%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.69 RON 8.04

-1.78%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$2.19 RON 10.43

-70.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$1.79 RON 8.49

-83.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$2.16 RON 10.25

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.44 RON 16.33

6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.13 RON 5.39

78.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.81 RON 3.85

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.37 RON 6.53

1.46%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$3.42 RON 16.27

-30.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$7.10 RON 33.76

132.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$6.13 RON 29.14

-56.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$11.13 RON 52.9

-18.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.01 RON 4.82

137.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.49 RON 7.06

-30.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.45 RON 6.90

14.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.76 RON 8.38

-11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.83 RON 3.95

49.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.85 RON 4.06

28.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.70 RON 3.31

8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.69 RON 3.30

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$5.71 RON 27.14

-27.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$5.39 RON 25.64

232.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$0.65 RON 3.10

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.07 RON 5.11

163.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.66 RON 3.14

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$21.77 RON 104

142.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$0.60 RON 2.85

96.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.66 RON 3.12

-74.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$9.63 RON 45.78

-81.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$1.44 RON 6.83

2.08%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$29.1K RON 138.1K

-27.68%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$25.4K RON 120.5K

4.55%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$186 RON 883

-66.34%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$9.56 RON 45.43

21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$11.49 RON 54.6

76.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$38.22 RON 182

-0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$23.30 RON 111

-84.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$7.17 RON 34.06

-9.21%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$332 RON 1,580

118.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$8,059 RON 38.3K

105.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$41.15 RON 196

30.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$51.8 RON 246

-52.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$74.8 RON 355

20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$62.7 RON 298

14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$378 RON 1,796

27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$294 RON 1,397

5.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$622 RON 2,958

70.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$459 RON 2,184

43.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$1,937 RON 9,204

24.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,365 RON 6,490

17.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$816 RON 3,879

-27.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.84

-18.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Resita: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Resita

$294 29.2% 5.2% $16

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Resita

$184 18.3% 22.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Resita

$104 10.3% 4.3% $4.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Resita

$207 20.6% 119% $112

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Resita

$136 13.5% 77.1% $59

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Resita

$28 2.8% 51.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Resita

$53 5.2% 3.2% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $378 in Resita. 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 37% higher in Resita. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $41 in Resita. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $184 in Resita – so Resita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Resita

🕒 Local time

08:57 8:57 AM

03:57 3:57 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

73,282

💱 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 Resita 7,540 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Resita

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 Resita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Resita costs about 7% 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 $1,508 in Resita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Resita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $378 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $332 in Resita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Resita – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,005 in Resita. 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 $1,005 in Resita. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Resita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.