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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,030 in Vaslui, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,562 in Vaslui, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,094 in Vaslui, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Vaslui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vaslui are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Vaslui 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$9.52 RON 41.49

-79.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$42.77 RON 186

-56.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.76 RON 33.82

2.06%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.69 RON 11.73

-29.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.93 RON 8.43

-56.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.85 RON 8.05

-81.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.32 RON 10.12

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.51 RON 15.29

8.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.34 RON 5.85

22.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.09 RON 4.76

48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.77 RON 7.73

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.36 RON 14.65

-40.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.89 RON 38.74

78.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.26 RON 31.65

-58.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.88 RON 38.71

21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.17 RON 5.10

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.48 RON 6.46

-17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.30 RON 5.66

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.97 RON 8.59

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.77 RON 3.34

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.95 RON 4.15

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.70 RON 3.06

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.85 RON 3.70

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$5.86 RON 25.54

-22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.01 RON 30.54

159.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.96 RON 4.18

90.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.38 RON 6.03

134.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 RON 3.13

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.66 RON 85.7

-1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.66 RON 2.89

104.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.65 RON 2.82

107.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.69 RON 24.79

44.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.59 RON 6.93

-20.13%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$24.6K RON 107.4K

-14.15%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$26.8K RON 116.8K

-16.08%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$146 RON 638

-52.05%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.50 RON 37.06

62.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$10.10 RON 44.02

74.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$41.42 RON 181

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$18.92 RON 82.5

-65.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.06 RON 30.80

-18.13%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$424 RON 1,849

-27.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,029 RON 30.6K

110.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$83.9 RON 366

-35.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$16.17 RON 70.5

61.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$73.4 RON 320

15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$98.4 RON 429

-29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$382 RON 1,666

10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$288 RON 1,255

-17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$581 RON 2,534

41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$435 RON 1,898

18.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,679 RON 7,319

22.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,564 RON 6,818

-2.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$496 RON 2,164

28.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vaslui: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $382 in Vaslui. 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 28% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Vaslui. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Vaslui – so Vaslui 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 Vaslui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaslui costs about 21% 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 $1,545 in Vaslui. 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 $424 in Vaslui. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Vaslui – 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 $1,030 in Vaslui, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,030 in Vaslui. 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, Vaslui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.