Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Targu Mures Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Targu Mures

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,061 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,549 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,036 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$8.46 RON 38.78

-76.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$39.85 RON 183

-53.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$8.79 RON 40.30

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.19 RON 10.05

-11.87%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$1.32 RON 6.03

-37.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$1.15 RON 5.26

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$2.25 RON 10.32

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$2.78 RON 12.75

36.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.62 RON 7.41

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$1.22 RON 5.59

27.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.59 RON 7.31

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$2.92 RON 13.40

-31.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$8.68 RON 39.78

86.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.94 RON 31.83

-56.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$12.63 RON 57.9

-14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.02 RON 4.66

162.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.32 RON 6.04

-7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.52 RON 6.97

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.97 RON 9.03

-22.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$0.91 RON 4.15

47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$0.93 RON 4.28

30.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.78 RON 3.58

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.80 RON 3.65

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$6.25 RON 28.67

-24.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$7.39 RON 33.89

139.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.05 RON 4.81

76.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.61 RON 7.40

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.56 RON 2.58

58.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$15.04 RON 68.9

24.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$0.90 RON 4.13

56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.72 RON 3.29

79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$7.52 RON 34.47

3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.61 RON 7.39

-19.88%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$27.8K RON 127.6K

-21.78%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-23.94%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$167 RON 765

-58.05%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$8.53 RON 39.09

66.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$10.05 RON 46.10

73.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$46.19 RON 212

-9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$18.49 RON 84.8

-62.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.83 RON 26.73

-0.86%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$1,378 RON 6,320

-78.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$7,028 RON 32.2K

106.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$72.9 RON 334

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$31.90 RON 146

-17.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$73.9 RON 339

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$80.2 RON 368

-12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$440 RON 2,019

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$315 RON 1,445

-25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$559 RON 2,563

43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$407 RON 1,864

26.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$2,294 RON 10.5K

-16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,504 RON 6,898

-3.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$1,062 RON 4,869

-44.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

-38.80%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $440 in Targu Mures. 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 81% higher in Targu Mures, 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 Targu Mures. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Targu Mures – so Targu Mures 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 Targu Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures costs about 25% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,592 in Targu Mures. 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,378 in Targu Mures. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Targu Mures – 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $1,061 in Targu Mures, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,061 in Targu Mures. 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, Targu Mures makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.