Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sfantu Gheorghe Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sfantu Gheorghe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,429 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,940 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sfantu Gheorghe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sfantu Gheorghe 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.45 RON 38.22

-76.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$40.07 RON 181

-53.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$9.12 RON 41.25

-15.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.01 RON 9.09

-4.48%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.27 RON 5.73

-37.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.11 RON 5.01

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.13 RON 9.66

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.72 RON 12.30

34.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.54 RON 6.99

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.22 RON 5.50

33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.35 RON 6.12

-11.85%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.05 RON 13.78

-34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.74 RON 39.55

82.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.11 RON 18.61

-26.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.30 RON 55.7

-11.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.98 RON 4.44

181.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.31 RON 5.93

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.30 RON 5.88

26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.98 RON 8.98

-23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.72 RON 3.28

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.87 RON 3.94

36.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.79 RON 3.55

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.67 RON 3.04

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.52 RON 24.96

-17.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.46 RON 38.26

95.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.05 RON 4.74

74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.13 RON 5.11

183.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.67 RON 3.02

31.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$19.63 RON 88.8

-4.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.95 RON 4.28

43.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.67 RON 3.05

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.51 RON 33.99

4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.58 RON 7.17

-22.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$27.9K RON 126.4K

-22.62%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.0K RON 126.8K

-19.58%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$168 RON 761

-58.09%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.52 RON 38.55

60.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.63 RON 43.58

81.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$40.76 RON 184

1.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.87 RON 85.4

-63.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.35 RON 15.16

72.24%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$431 RON 1,951

-28.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,922 RON 31.3K

111.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$34.47 RON 156

61.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$18.69 RON 84.6

40.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$27.87 RON 126

207.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$69.8 RON 316

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$320 RON 1,446

34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$230 RON 1,038

3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$565 RON 2,557

44.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$440 RON 1,992

15.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,926 RON 8,713

2.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,397 RON 6,318

6.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$724 RON 3,276

-14.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-25.93%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $320 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 17% higher in Sfantu Gheorghe, 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 $40.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Sfantu Gheorghe – so Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfantu Gheorghe costs about 6% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,377 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $431 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 Sfantu Gheorghe – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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, Sfantu Gheorghe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.