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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,132 per month in Galati vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,701 per month in Galati vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,270 per month in Galati vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Galati costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Galati and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Galati 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.6

$2.04 ฿68.4

475.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.39 RON 207

$18.71 ฿626

142.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 RON 37.72

$7.86 ฿263

5.09%

Cappuccino

$2.74 RON 12.52

$2.03 ฿67.9

34.98%

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

$2.18 RON 9.95

$0.80 ฿26.71

172.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.73

$0.35 ฿11.71

445.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.60

$2.14 ฿71.7

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 RON 14.86

$3.67 ฿123

-11.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.31

$1.73 ฿57.8

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$1.57 ฿52.5

-44.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 RON 8.89

$1.20 ฿40.10

62.50%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.65

$1.97 ฿66.0

85.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 RON 38.36

$16.23 ฿543

-48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 RON 28.17

$3.06 ฿102

101.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 RON 41.06

$10.80 ฿361

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.54

$2.77 ฿92.6

-56.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.58

$1.17 ฿39.05

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.62

$1.71 ฿57.1

-2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.40

$1.59 ฿53.3

15.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.64

$1.39 ฿46.63

-26.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.10

$1.16 ฿38.67

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.14

$0.66 ฿22.11

37.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$0.52 ฿17.35

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 RON 25.88

$4.65 ฿155

21.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 RON 25.36

$17.78 ฿595

-68.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$1.79 ฿59.8

-47.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.08

$3.34 ฿112

-60.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 RON 2.72

$0.91 ฿30.35

-35.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.87 RON 123

$18.64 ฿624

44.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.30

$1.41 ฿47.17

-48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.79

$1.34 ฿44.82

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 RON 35.48

$8.11 ฿271

-4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.92

$1.23 ฿41.27

23.58%

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

$27.5K RON 125.4K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

28.12%

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

$26.5K RON 121.2K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

21.66%

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

$160 RON 732

$71.3 ฿2,386

124.80%

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

$8.37 RON 38.21

$14.01 ฿469

-40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.44 RON 38.53

$17.93 ฿600

-52.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.86 RON 155

$40.82 ฿1,365

-17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.67 RON 172

$6.88 ฿230

447.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 RON 30.86

$5.72 ฿191

18.18%

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

$665 RON 3,038

$308 ฿10.3K

115.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.2K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-62.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RON 460

$55.8 ฿1,865

80.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 RON 162

$26.04 ฿871

36.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 RON 290

$84.8 ฿2,837

-25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 437

$71.0 ฿2,375

34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,958

$423 ฿14.2K

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 RON 1,594

$242 ฿8,110

44.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 RON 2,924

$797 ฿26.7K

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 RON 2,466

$507 ฿17.0K

6.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 RON 7,390

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 RON 5,710

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-14.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,001 RON 4,571

$595 ฿19.9K

68.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

30.00%

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

Last update for Galati: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Galati versus $423 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 Galati, 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 $45.00 in Galati versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Galati vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Galati 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

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

Galati costs about 33% 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 $1,698 per month in Galati and $1,279 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 $665 per month in Galati and $308 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 24% cheaper in Galati – 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 $852, than in Galati at $1,132. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Galati it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,132 in Galati. 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, Galati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.