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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $896 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,391 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,886 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 36% lower, Sfantu Gheorghe 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.1

$8.48 RON 38.59

-75.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$40.22 RON 183

-53.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.76 RON 39.89

-10.27%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.6

$2.02 RON 9.20

0.50%

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

$0.80 ฿26.63

$1.30 RON 5.93

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.11 RON 5.05

-68.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.20 RON 10.03

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.70 RON 12.30

35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.63 RON 7.44

6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.17 RON 5.35

34.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.98

$1.40 RON 6.38

-14.29%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.96 RON 13.48

-33.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.79 RON 40.00

84.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.19 RON 19.06

-26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.80 RON 58.3

-15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.01 RON 4.60

174.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.93

$1.37 RON 6.24

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.9

$1.23 RON 5.62

39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.02 RON 9.18

-21.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.49

$0.66 RON 3.00

110.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.55

$0.94 RON 4.28

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.80 RON 3.63

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.30

$0.72 RON 3.26

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.69 RON 25.90

-18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.35 RON 38.02

112.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.07 RON 4.88

67.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.14 RON 5.18

192.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.26

$0.68 RON 3.09

33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.85 RON 90.4

-6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.02

$0.88 RON 4.02

60.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.69

$0.69 RON 3.12

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.47 RON 34.01

8.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.14

$1.52 RON 6.94

-19.08%

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

$21.4K ฿714.9K

$28.4K RON 129.2K

-24.51%

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

$21.8K ฿727.8K

$28.0K RON 127.5K

-22.10%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$172 RON 781

-58.43%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.50 RON 38.67

64.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.96 RON 45.31

80.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,361

$41.93 RON 191

-2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.27 RON 87.7

-64.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.51 RON 15.99

62.96%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$426 RON 1,941

-27.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.5K

$6,971 RON 31.7K

110.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$34.68 RON 158

60.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿868

$18.68 RON 85.0

39.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,828

$27.75 RON 126

205.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$68.5 RON 312

3.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$312 RON 1,422

35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,086

$226 RON 1,028

7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$583 RON 2,651

36.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$438 RON 1,995

15.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,995 RON 9,081

-3.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,401 RON 6,375

4.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.8K

$693 RON 3,154

-14.13%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $312 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 16% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $200 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 5% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,343 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $426 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 22% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $896 in Sfantu Gheorghe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $896 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.