Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Resita Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Resita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,064 in Resita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,562 in Resita, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,060 in Resita, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Resita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Resita are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Resita 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.77 RON 35.59

-73.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$37.90 RON 174

-48.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.55 RON 34.58

-24.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.72 RON 7.88

5.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.34 RON 10.74

-67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.91 RON 8.77

-81.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.25 RON 10.33

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.61 RON 16.55

4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.16 RON 5.29

76.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.87 RON 3.97

73.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.48 RON 6.80

-5.41%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.61 RON 16.52

-37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.46 RON 34.19

117.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.83 RON 31.31

-57.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.03 RON 55.1

-21.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.03 RON 4.71

160.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.51 RON 6.91

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.53 RON 7.02

5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.89 RON 8.67

-22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.82 RON 3.77

56.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.88 RON 4.03

20.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.73 RON 3.33

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.75 RON 3.44

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.15 RON 28.15

-31.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.68 RON 26.02

222.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$0.68 RON 3.13

139.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.14 RON 5.20

154.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.67 RON 3.08

31.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$22.31 RON 102

141.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.64 RON 2.95

82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.64 RON 2.91

-9.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.80 RON 31.14

-64.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.51 RON 6.94

-3.97%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-29.47%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$26.8K RON 123.0K

-1.56%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$199 RON 913

-68.07%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.51 RON 48.16

22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$11.47 RON 52.5

78.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$40.51 RON 186

-3.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.08 RON 96.6

-81.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.78 RON 35.66

-15.42%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$349 RON 1,599

124.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$8,711 RON 39.9K

68.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$44.89 RON 206

22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$50.4 RON 231

-50.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$78.3 RON 359

20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$66.0 RON 302

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$400 RON 1,830

22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$305 RON 1,395

-5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$634 RON 2,904

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$474 RON 2,169

10.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,894 RON 8,678

4.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,420 RON 6,504

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$855 RON 3,918

-29.66%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Resita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $400 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 42% higher in Resita, 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 $38.00 in Resita. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Resita – so Resita 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 Resita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Resita costs about 14% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,596 in Resita. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $349 in Resita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Resita – 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 $932, than in Resita at $1,064. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Resita it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,064 in Resita. 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, Resita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.