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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,122 per month in Craiova vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,626 per month in Craiova vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Craiova vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Craiova costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Craiova and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Craiova 16% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.18 RON 41.92

$1.96 ฿65.7

368.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.85 RON 214

$18.35 ฿616

155.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 36.16

$7.48 ฿251

5.88%

Cappuccino

$2.51 RON 11.44

$2.02 ฿67.7

24.26%

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

$2.19 RON 9.99

$0.85 ฿28.45

157.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.93

$0.36 ฿11.94

444.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.80

$2.14 ฿71.7

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.62

$3.59 ฿121

-4.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.19

$1.65 ฿55.4

-4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.57 ฿52.6

-40.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$1.19 ฿39.95

42.02%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.31

$1.94 ฿65.0

72.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 RON 33.82

$16.19 ฿544

-54.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.59

$2.99 ฿100

124.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 RON 43.91

$10.94 ฿367

-12.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.79

$2.71 ฿91.0

-53.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.52

$1.17 ฿39.18

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.30

$1.69 ฿56.6

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.40

$1.60 ฿53.9

15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$1.38 ฿46.45

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.20

$1.20 ฿40.38

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.67 ฿22.46

16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.56 ฿18.70

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 27.16

$4.64 ฿156

28.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 RON 28.03

$17.62 ฿591

-65.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.97

$1.86 ฿62.4

-29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.50

$3.30 ฿111

-30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$0.88 ฿29.63

-23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 106

$19.34 ฿649

20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 RON 2.72

$1.36 ฿45.82

-56.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.71

$1.34 ฿44.90

-39.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 RON 31.79

$8.21 ฿276

-15.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.13

$1.22 ฿41.11

27.87%

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

$27.9K RON 127.2K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

30.47%

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

$27.4K RON 125.1K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

21.60%

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

$209 RON 956

$70.7 ฿2,372

196.32%

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

$7.88 RON 35.98

$14.04 ฿471

-43.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 RON 53.5

$17.49 ฿587

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 RON 167

$42.15 ฿1,415

-13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 RON 86.1

$6.88 ฿231

174.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 RON 30.19

$5.92 ฿199

11.66%

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

$430 RON 1,961

$309 ฿10.4K

39.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,943 RON 40.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-39.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 358

$55.8 ฿1,872

40.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.01 RON 169

$26.11 ฿877

41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 RON 363

$83.0 ฿2,787

-4.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 RON 394

$70.5 ฿2,365

22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,774

$432 ฿14.5K

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 RON 1,394

$239 ฿8,020

27.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 RON 3,225

$822 ฿27.6K

-14.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,988

$512 ฿17.2K

-14.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 RON 11.7K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

33.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 RON 9,126

$1,467 ฿49.3K

36.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$971 RON 4,434

$579 ฿19.4K

67.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

25.60%

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

Last update for Craiova: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Craiova versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 68% higher in Craiova, 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 $47.00 in Craiova versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Craiova vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Craiova 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

Craiova vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova costs about 30% 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 $1,683 per month in Craiova and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $430 per month in Craiova and $309 in Chiang Mai. 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 Craiova – 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 $1,122 in Craiova and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,122 in Craiova. 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, Craiova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.