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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,054 in Turda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,632 in Turda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,209 in Turda, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$9.06 RON 39.43

-78.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$51.6 RON 224

-63.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$8.18 RON 35.60

-3.18%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.97 RON 12.90

-35.69%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.92 RON 8.36

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$1.77 RON 7.70

-80.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.32 RON 10.10

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.79 RON 12.12

36.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.55 RON 6.75

5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.26 RON 5.50

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.59 RON 6.92

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$3.20 RON 13.93

-37.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$9.36 RON 40.72

69.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.93 RON 30.13

-56.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$11.81 RON 51.4

-8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.16 RON 5.06

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.57 RON 6.85

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.64 RON 7.15

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.67 RON 7.27

-5.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.02 RON 4.43

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.98 RON 4.25

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.00 RON 4.36

-33.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.94 RON 4.11

-40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$6.01 RON 26.14

-24.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$7.78 RON 33.85

133.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.12 RON 4.86

63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.82 RON 7.92

77.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$1.36 RON 5.93

-34.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$19.45 RON 84.6

-0.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.77 RON 3.35

75.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.75 RON 3.26

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$7.89 RON 34.30

4.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.66 RON 7.22

-23.49%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$27.6K RON 120.0K

-23.34%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$27.0K RON 117.6K

-16.83%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$161 RON 702

-56.54%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$8.84 RON 38.45

55.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$8.33 RON 36.22

111.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$40.81 RON 178

1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$20.60 RON 89.6

-67.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.72 RON 29.25

-13.99%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$481 RON 2,092

-36.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$7,726 RON 33.6K

91.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$68.2 RON 297

-20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$40.05 RON 174

-34.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$86.0 RON 374

-1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$99.0 RON 431

-29.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$392 RON 1,704

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$294 RON 1,278

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$582 RON 2,533

41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$440 RON 1,914

17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$1,945 RON 8,459

5.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$1,323 RON 5,754

15.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$805 RON 3,500

-21.05%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Turda: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $392 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 27% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Turda. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $221 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 24% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,582 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $481 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,054 in Turda, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,054 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.