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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,077 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,554 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,031 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$8.54 RON 37.04

-77.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$41.00 RON 178

-55.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$9.00 RON 39.05

-16.67%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.30 RON 9.97

-16.09%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.32 RON 5.71

-40.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.15 RON 5.00

-72.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.13 RON 9.24

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.83 RON 12.26

31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.55 RON 6.75

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.21 RON 5.25

28.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.64 RON 7.12

-28.05%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.07 RON 13.31

-35.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.82 RON 38.29

81.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$7.21 RON 31.27

-56.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$12.69 RON 55.1

-13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$0.98 RON 4.25

168.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.31 RON 5.70

-10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.53 RON 6.62

7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.95 RON 8.45

-21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.93 RON 4.04

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.92 RON 4.00

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.79 RON 3.45

-16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.80 RON 3.48

-36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$6.28 RON 27.26

-28.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.11 RON 35.20

125.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.07 RON 4.66

68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.65 RON 7.14

92.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.56 RON 2.43

60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$14.85 RON 64.5

27.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.96 RON 4.16

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.73 RON 3.17

79.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$7.25 RON 31.45

11.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.61 RON 7.00

-20.50%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$28.1K RON 121.9K

-24.22%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

-23.03%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$172 RON 745

-59.71%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$8.68 RON 37.67

60.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$9.64 RON 41.84

86.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$46.95 RON 204

-9.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$18.68 RON 81.1

-64.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.93 RON 25.72

-0.17%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$1,387 RON 6,019

-78.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,872 RON 29.8K

116.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$71.1 RON 308

-20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$31.67 RON 137

-14.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$74.4 RON 323

14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$81.9 RON 355

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$445 RON 1,930

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$312 RON 1,354

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$567 RON 2,459

40.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$412 RON 1,788

20.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$2,379 RON 10.3K

-16.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,556 RON 6,754

-1.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$1,123 RON 4,872

-44.04%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $445 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 79% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $41 in Targu Mures. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $218 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 28% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,616 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,387 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 12% cheaper in Targu Mures – 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 $845, than in Targu Mures at $1,077. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Targu Mures it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,077 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.