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 $1,126 per month in Craiova vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,662 per month in Craiova vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,198 per month in Craiova vs $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 RON 40.66

$1.94 ฿63.5

363.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.57 RON 206

$18.64 ฿609

144.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.21

$7.82 ฿255

5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.58 RON 11.67

$1.95 ฿63.8

32.31%

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

$2.09 RON 9.46

$0.85 ฿27.77

145.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.88

$0.35 ฿11.58

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 10.24

$2.13 ฿69.6

6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.90

$3.73 ฿122

-5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.81

$1.71 ฿56.0

-11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$1.63 ฿53.2

-43.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.67

$1.14 ฿37.15

49.12%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 15.09

$1.93 ฿63.1

73.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 RON 34.99

$16.21 ฿530

-52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 RON 30.08

$3.12 ฿102

113.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 RON 43.82

$10.90 ฿356

-11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$2.75 ฿90.0

-53.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.21 ฿39.52

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.98

$1.62 ฿53.0

-4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.19

$1.59 ฿51.8

13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.87

$1.17 ฿38.17

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.66 ฿21.60

25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.53 ฿17.22

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 RON 27.03

$4.69 ฿153

27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 RON 28.34

$18.66 ฿609

-66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.85

$1.80 ฿58.8

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 10.34

$3.23 ฿106

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.90 ฿29.26

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 RON 104

$19.21 ฿628

19.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.52

$1.41 ฿45.91

-60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$1.29 ฿42.12

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 30.67

$7.84 ฿256

-13.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.29

$1.27 ฿41.58

26.77%

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

$27.7K RON 125.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

30.03%

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

$27.2K RON 122.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

22.24%

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

$212 RON 959

$69.1 ฿2,256

207.11%

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

$7.96 RON 35.97

$14.08 ฿460

-43.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.53 RON 52.1

$18.00 ฿588

-35.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 RON 165

$41.06 ฿1,341

-10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 RON 85.5

$6.96 ฿227

171.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 RON 29.52

$5.92 ฿193

10.30%

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

$434 RON 1,962

$299 ฿9,766

45.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,152 RON 41.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-38.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 355

$54.7 ฿1,787

43.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 RON 169

$26.77 ฿874

39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 RON 354

$85.0 ฿2,776

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 RON 385

$70.6 ฿2,306

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,729

$428 ฿14.0K

-10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 RON 1,382

$237 ฿7,752

28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 RON 3,251

$801 ฿26.2K

-10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,002

$515 ฿16.8K

-14.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,663 RON 12.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

34.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,094 RON 9,466

$1,475 ฿48.2K

41.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,007 RON 4,551

$617 ฿20.2K

63.04%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Craiova versus $428 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 63% 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 $46.00 in Craiova versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Craiova vs $246 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 $1,689 per month in Craiova and $1,300 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 $434 per month in Craiova and $299 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 21% 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 $1,126 in Craiova and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,126 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.