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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $928 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,683 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,439 in Ungheni, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Ungheni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ungheni 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.39 MDL 129

-73.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$30.66 MDL 534

-40.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.99 MDL 104

24.87%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.50 MDL 26.12

34.67%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.70 MDL 12.20

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.43 MDL 7.41

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.42 MDL 24.70

50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.49 MDL 26.00

140.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.25 MDL 21.72

32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.45 MDL 7.88

248.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.00 MDL 17.39

19.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.28 MDL 39.63

-14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.70 MDL 134

110.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.03 MDL 70.2

-25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$6.84 MDL 119

59.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$0.55 MDL 9.51

392.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.49 MDL 25.90

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.68 MDL 29.27

0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.28 MDL 22.31

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.55 MDL 9.54

150.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.34 MDL 5.87

252.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.35 MDL 23.57

-50.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.52 MDL 9.03

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.05 MDL 53.1

52.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.34 MDL 75.6

305.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.19 MDL 20.69

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.29 MDL 22.39

155.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.37 MDL 6.39

137.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.73 MDL 30.14

-21.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.27 MDL 4.74

396.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.45 MDL 77.5

84.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.28 MDL 22.20

-4.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.2K MDL 560.1K

-33.62%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$31.0K MDL 539.2K

-27.25%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$162 MDL 2,826

-56.47%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.51 MDL 131

86.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$10.77 MDL 187

62.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$20.57 MDL 358

104.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.15 MDL 72.3

42.65%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$397 MDL 6,920

-22.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,518 MDL 130.9K

97.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$44.37 MDL 772

25.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$21.61 MDL 376

20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$40.25 MDL 701

106.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$110 MDL 1,912

-35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$963 MDL 16.8K

-55.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$365 MDL 6,350

-34.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,508 MDL 26.3K

-45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$1,280 MDL 22.3K

-60.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,307 MDL 40.2K

-16.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,693 MDL 29.5K

-13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $963 in Ungheni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Ungheni. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $150 in Ungheni – so Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ungheni costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,392 in Ungheni. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Ungheni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 62% cheaper in Ungheni – 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 $861, than in Ungheni at $928. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ungheni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $928 in Ungheni. 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, Ungheni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.