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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in Resita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,552 in Resita, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,080 in Resita, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Resita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Resita are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Resita 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$9.37 RON 42.43

-79.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$45.39 RON 205

-58.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.82 RON 30.88

14.66%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.86 RON 8.42

4.84%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$2.07 RON 9.36

-58.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.78 RON 8.05

-80.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.26 RON 10.21

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.53 RON 15.98

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.37 RON 6.20

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.22 RON 5.51

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.59 RON 7.18

-28.30%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$3.37 RON 15.27

-42.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.88 RON 35.67

105.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.99 RON 27.09

-47.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.65 RON 39.15

26.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.15 RON 5.23

139.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.54 RON 6.96

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.70 RON 7.71

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$2.19 RON 9.91

-27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.70 RON 3.17

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.93 RON 4.20

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.02 RON 4.61

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.93 RON 4.22

-43.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.17 RON 27.91

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.50 RON 24.88

239.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.98 RON 4.44

83.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.81 RON 8.19

78.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.72 RON 3.24

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$19.46 RON 88.1

-1.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.85 RON 3.83

65.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.71 RON 3.19

81.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.24 RON 41.81

-15.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.60 RON 7.26

-20.63%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$28.1K RON 127.0K

-24.18%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$25.9K RON 117.1K

-14.11%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$139 RON 627

-50.14%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.84 RON 40.01

59.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$11.31 RON 51.2

59.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$40.72 RON 184

0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.90 RON 85.5

-63.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.11 RON 32.20

-16.74%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$432 RON 1,956

-30.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,797 RON 30.8K

119.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$67.5 RON 306

-18.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$37.94 RON 172

-29.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$83.0 RON 376

2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$95.3 RON 431

-25.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$387 RON 1,753

10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$296 RON 1,338

-19.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$579 RON 2,622

38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$442 RON 2,002

16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,195 RON 5,411

65.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$929 RON 4,207

58.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$844 RON 3,819

-26.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Resita: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $387 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, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Resita. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $197 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 18% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,536 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $432 in Resita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% 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 $866, than in Resita at $1,024. 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 $866 versus $1,024 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.