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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iasi costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.66

$1.96 ฿65.9

430.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 236

$18.35 ฿617

180.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.64

$7.48 ฿252

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.08

$2.02 ฿67.8

30.20%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$0.85 ฿28.52

148.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$0.36 ฿11.97

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.34

$2.14 ฿71.9

15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$3.59 ฿121

-6.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.58

$1.57 ฿52.7

-22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.65

$1.19 ฿40.05

58.82%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.15

$1.94 ฿65.1

59.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.26

$16.19 ฿545

-49.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.76

$2.99 ฿101

131.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.90

$10.94 ฿368

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$2.71 ฿91.2

-54.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.13

$1.17 ฿39.27

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.69 ฿56.8

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.60 ฿54.0

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$1.38 ฿46.56

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.20 ฿40.47

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.67 ฿22.51

49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.56 ฿18.74

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.78

$4.64 ฿156

35.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.29

$17.62 ฿593

-63.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.86 ฿62.6

-40.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.82

$3.30 ฿111

-41.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.88 ฿29.70

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$19.34 ฿651

44.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.30

$1.36 ฿45.92

-30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.34 ฿45.00

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.33

$8.21 ฿276

-0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$1.22 ฿41.20

37.70%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

33.55%

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

$27.7K RON 127.1K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

23.04%

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

$157 RON 718

$70.7 ฿2,378

121.47%

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

$8.51 RON 39.04

$14.04 ฿472

-39.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.05

$17.49 ฿589

-41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$42.15 ฿1,418

12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.8

$6.88 ฿231

168.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.71

$5.92 ฿199

35.14%

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

$471 RON 2,158

$309 ฿10.4K

52.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-53.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$55.8 ฿1,876

9.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$26.11 ฿879

66.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$83.0 ฿2,793

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$70.5 ฿2,371

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,170

$432 ฿14.5K

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,647

$239 ฿8,040

50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,402

$822 ฿27.7K

-9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,446

$512 ฿17.2K

4.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

52.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,861

$1,467 ฿49.4K

31.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,421

$579 ฿19.5K

104.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

47.40%

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

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi 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 104% higher in Iasi, 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Iasi vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Iasi 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

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

Iasi costs about 34% 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 $1,734 per month in Iasi 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 $471 per month in Iasi 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 15% cheaper in Iasi – 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 $861, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,156 in Iasi. 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, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.