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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,009 in Targoviste, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,467 in Targoviste, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,925 in Targoviste, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Targoviste are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Targoviste 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$9.29 RON 42.62

-78.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$27.11 RON 124

-32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.75 RON 30.99

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.34 RON 10.75

-13.68%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.54 RON 7.08

-44.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.42 RON 6.52

-74.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.24 RON 10.26

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.08 RON 14.12

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.49 RON 6.84

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.99 RON 4.56

58.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.71 RON 7.83

-30.41%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.75 RON 12.60

-29.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.42 RON 15.70

373.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.63 RON 30.42

-54.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.82 RON 45.08

11.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.27 RON 5.83

113.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.64 RON 7.53

-28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.52 RON 6.97

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.89 RON 8.66

-15.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.03 RON 4.73

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.09 RON 5.00

10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.84 RON 3.87

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.74 RON 3.42

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.87 RON 26.97

-20.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.63 RON 25.85

212.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.26 RON 5.79

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.19 RON 10.07

50.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.48 RON 2.21

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$19.77 RON 90.7

-2.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.79 RON 3.63

72.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.76 RON 3.49

76.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.34 RON 33.71

11.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.60 RON 7.35

-23.75%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$28.4K RON 130.4K

-24.86%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$27.1K RON 124.4K

-16.89%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$209 RON 962

-66.26%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.22 RON 37.72

70.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$9.14 RON 41.94

91.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.00 RON 106

83.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.03 RON 87.4

-63.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.53 RON 16.22

67.71%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$350 RON 1,608

-11.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$9,148 RON 42.0K

62.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$70.1 RON 322

-20.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.97 RON 161

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$57.3 RON 263

44.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$81.2 RON 373

-13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$382 RON 1,753

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$288 RON 1,322

-17.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$473 RON 2,171

73.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$426 RON 1,956

20.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,931 RON 8,866

-0.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,410 RON 6,474

4.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$906 RON 4,160

-36.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

-20.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Targoviste: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $382 in Targoviste. 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 56% higher in Targoviste, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Targoviste. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $187 in Targoviste – so Targoviste 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 Targoviste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targoviste costs about 17% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,514 in Targoviste. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $350 in Targoviste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Targoviste – 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,009 in Targoviste, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,009 in Targoviste. 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, Targoviste makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.