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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,015 in Vaslui, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,542 in Vaslui, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,068 in Vaslui, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Vaslui, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Vaslui are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Vaslui 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$10.05 RON 45.45

-80.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.41 RON 196

-56.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.60 RON 34.38

1.97%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.69 RON 12.16

-28.62%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.91 RON 8.62

-58.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.91 RON 8.63

-81.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.35 RON 10.64

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.38 RON 15.30

8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.37 RON 6.19

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.09 RON 4.93

49.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.69 RON 7.62

-29.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.27 RON 14.78

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.68 RON 39.25

84.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.00 RON 31.67

-56.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.27 RON 41.94

17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.17 RON 5.29

135.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.47 RON 6.63

-19.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.28 RON 5.77

28.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.99 RON 8.99

-23.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.74 RON 3.36

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.95 RON 4.30

25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.72 RON 3.24

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.80 RON 3.63

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.66 RON 25.60

-19.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.98 RON 31.57

137.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.97 RON 4.40

88.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.44 RON 6.49

122.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.68 RON 3.06

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$19.87 RON 89.9

-5.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.71 RON 3.20

91.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.62 RON 2.78

116.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.88 RON 26.61

33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.60 RON 7.26

-23.13%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.1K RON 113.4K

-13.76%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.9K RON 121.7K

-16.21%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$146 RON 661

-51.70%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.42 RON 38.07

62.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.79 RON 44.28

78.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$42.21 RON 191

-2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.53 RON 88.3

-64.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.93 RON 31.34

-16.74%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$434 RON 1,965

-29.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,909 RON 31.3K

111.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$82.8 RON 374

-32.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$15.91 RON 72.0

64.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.6 RON 342

13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$97.9 RON 443

-26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$393 RON 1,779

9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$290 RON 1,314

-17.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$598 RON 2,704

36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$436 RON 1,970

17.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,800 RON 8,141

10.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,293 RON 5,849

14.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$466 RON 2,110

32.68%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vaslui: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $393 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 33% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $201 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 17% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,523 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $434 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,015 in Vaslui, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,015 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.