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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,064 in Turda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,626 in Turda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,189 in Turda, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Turda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Turda 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$9.33 RON 42.03

-78.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$52.6 RON 237

-65.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$7.99 RON 36.01

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.97 RON 13.39

-34.34%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$1.93 RON 8.69

-55.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$1.74 RON 7.86

-81.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.35 RON 10.60

-8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.74 RON 12.36

34.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.55 RON 6.96

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.24 RON 5.59

25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.63 RON 7.33

-26.99%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$3.11 RON 14.02

-36.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$9.53 RON 42.92

70.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$6.95 RON 31.29

-54.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$11.71 RON 52.7

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.12 RON 5.04

136.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.60 RON 7.20

-23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.57 RON 7.05

5.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.61 RON 7.27

-3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.96 RON 4.35

38.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.91 RON 4.10

32.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.04 RON 4.69

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.95 RON 4.28

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$6.27 RON 28.25

-25.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$7.73 RON 34.82

119.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.12 RON 5.05

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.82 RON 8.19

74.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$1.35 RON 6.09

-32.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$20.19 RON 90.9

-7.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.82 RON 3.71

71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.71 RON 3.20

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$8.30 RON 37.39

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.66 RON 7.45

-22.89%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$28.3K RON 127.3K

-22.78%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$27.0K RON 121.7K

-17.12%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$157 RON 705

-54.99%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$8.88 RON 40.01

58.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$8.55 RON 38.51

106.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$40.88 RON 184

1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$21.12 RON 95.1

-67.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.81 RON 30.69

-12.48%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$482 RON 2,169

-37.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$7,760 RON 34.9K

92.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$68.0 RON 306

-19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$40.95 RON 184

-35.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$85.7 RON 386

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$99.9 RON 450

-30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$382 RON 1,719

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$289 RON 1,304

-17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$581 RON 2,617

39.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$444 RON 1,998

14.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,905 RON 8,582

6.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,349 RON 6,076

11.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$787 RON 3,545

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

-14.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Turda: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $382 in Turda. 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 26% higher in Turda, 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 $53.0 in Turda. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Turda – so Turda 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 Turda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turda 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,595 in Turda. 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $482 in Turda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Turda – 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $1,064 in Turda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,064 in Turda. 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, Turda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.