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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,053 per month in Cricova vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Cricova vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,825 per month in Cricova vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cricova costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cricova and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 23% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$2.11 ฿69.1

305.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$19.75 ฿648

47.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$5.85 ฿192

86.15%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$1.76 ฿57.8

-38.64%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$0.74 ฿24.37

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$0.33 ฿10.90

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$2.47 ฿81.0

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$3.88 ฿127

-41.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.90 ฿62.4

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$1.67 ฿54.7

-68.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.35 ฿44.24

-19.26%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$2.14 ฿70.2

-39.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$15.89 ฿521

-56.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$2.83 ฿92.9

66.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$10.53 ฿345

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$2.38 ฿78.2

-52.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$1.07 ฿35.01

-22.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$1.52 ฿49.79

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$1.50 ฿49.30

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$1.28 ฿41.96

-40.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$1.10 ฿36.17

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$0.69 ฿22.54

57.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$0.49 ฿16.18

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$4.27 ฿140

-20.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$16.78 ฿550

-71.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.66 ฿54.4

60.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$2.81 ฿92.3

59.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$0.90 ฿29.44

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$54.9 ฿1,801

-57.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$1.20 ฿39.24

-5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$0.54 ฿17.78

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$2.37 ฿77.9

191.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.43 ฿46.88

-4.20%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$21.1K ฿691.5K

43.61%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-7.30%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$64.7 ฿2,124

285.22%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$13.19 ฿433

-37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$19.44 ฿638

-39.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$39.45 ฿1,294

48.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$3.77 ฿124

210.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$6.62 ฿217

20.24%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

$805 ฿26.4K

-85.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-64.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$54.8 ฿1,796

4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$25.43 ฿834

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$91.9 ฿3,015

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$74.7 ฿2,449

53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$467 ฿15.3K

100.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$282 ฿9,251

-18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$891 ฿29.2K

62.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$521 ฿17.1K

124.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

48.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

37.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$592 ฿19.4K

-1.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.67%

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

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Cricova versus $467 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 1% 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 $29.00 in Cricova versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Cricova vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Cricova 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

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

Cricova costs about 14% 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 $1,579 per month in Cricova and $1,380 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 $119 per month in Cricova and $805 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 Cricova – 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 $920, than in Cricova at $1,053. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cricova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,053 in Cricova. 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, Cricova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.