Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tulcea

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $986 in Tulcea, rent and utilities included – about $600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Tulcea
Learn more

Tulcea Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Tulcea

🇷🇴 Romania

$986

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Tulcea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Tulcea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Tulcea, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Tulcea $986

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,559 in Tulcea, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Tulcea $1,559

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,132 in Tulcea, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Tulcea $2,132

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Tulcea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tulcea are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Tulcea 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$11.70 RON 56.2

-80.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$46.31 RON 223

-58.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$7.87 RON 37.83

-29.48%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.07 RON 9.93

-19.32%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$2.12 RON 10.17

-69.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$1.06 RON 5.10

-70.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.07 RON 9.95

14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.04 RON 9.81

79.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.61 RON 7.75

21.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.04 RON 4.99

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.44 RON 6.91

-7.64%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.16 RON 15.17

-27.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$7.51 RON 36.11

119.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$6.89 RON 33.10

-59.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.10 RON 43.73

2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.35 RON 6.48

74.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.64 RON 7.86

-40.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.42 RON 6.84

12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.99 RON 9.59

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.74 RON 3.54

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.70 RON 3.36

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.67 RON 3.24

5.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.77 RON 3.70

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$6.42 RON 30.87

-35.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$6.33 RON 30.44

176.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.00 RON 4.83

61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.42 RON 6.83

95.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$1.07 RON 5.14

-18.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$17.84 RON 85.8

203.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.64 RON 3.09

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.62 RON 2.96

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$6.36 RON 30.57

-61.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.74 RON 8.36

-16.67%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$28.1K RON 135.1K

-25.10%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$24.9K RON 119.6K

8.23%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$134 RON 643

-53.54%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$7.76 RON 37.29

56.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.60 RON 41.32

133.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$31.52 RON 151

18.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$16.60 RON 79.8

-77.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.32 RON 40.00

-22.00%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$319 RON 1,532

130.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$3,187 RON 15.3K

363.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$52.0 RON 250

2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$31.54 RON 152

-21.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$91.1 RON 438

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$95.8 RON 460

-24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$343 RON 1,650

40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$274 RON 1,315

12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$585 RON 2,813

71.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$499 RON 2,397

27.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$990 RON 4,759

138.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$856 RON 4,112

85.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$648 RON 3,115

-9.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.85

-18.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Tulcea

$274 27.8% 11.4% $35

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Tulcea

$197 20% 15.7% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Tulcea

$122 12.3% 12% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Tulcea

$150 15.2% 59% $56

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Tulcea

$169 17.2% 118% $92

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Tulcea

$26 2.6% 57.9% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Tulcea

$48 4.9% 4.2% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $343 in Tulcea. 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 10% higher in Tulcea. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $46 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Tulcea – so Tulcea wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇴 Tulcea

🕒 Local time

01:50 1:50 AM

20:50 8:50 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

73,707

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 RON = 0.208 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.81 RON (1 RON = 0.208 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Tulcea 7,000 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tulcea

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulcea costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,479 in Tulcea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tulcea, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $343 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $319 in Tulcea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Tulcea – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $986 in Tulcea. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $986 in Tulcea. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Tulcea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.