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 $1,305 per month in Iasi vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,902 per month in Iasi vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,499 per month in Iasi vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iasi costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 5% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.88

$2.08 ฿69.2

428.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 RON 199

$19.64 ฿651

123.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.52

$5.65 ฿188

38.58%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.48

$1.81 ฿59.9

64.09%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$0.71 ฿23.66

211.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.61

$0.32 ฿10.48

493.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.84

$2.24 ฿74.2

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 RON 18.57

$3.63 ฿121

12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.56

$1.96 ฿65.0

-14.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.47

$1.50 ฿49.83

-4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.75

$1.34 ฿44.32

60.45%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.97

$2.26 ฿75.1

55.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 RON 39.55

$16.26 ฿539

-46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.37

$2.95 ฿98.0

119.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 RON 46.63

$9.94 ฿330

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.36

$2.57 ฿85.3

-45.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.41

$1.06 ฿35.04

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.61 ฿53.5

8.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$1.52 ฿50.4

48.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$1.27 ฿42.14

-27.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.27

$1.07 ฿35.37

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 RON 5.25

$0.72 ฿23.89

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$0.51 ฿16.87

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 RON 29.94

$4.19 ฿139

57.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.93

$17.87 ฿593

-63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.37

$1.69 ฿56.2

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 RON 10.01

$2.84 ฿94.1

-22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.06

$0.93 ฿30.70

-4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.55 RON 129

$53.9 ฿1,787

-46.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$1.23 ฿40.95

-30.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$0.58 ฿19.13

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 RON 40.46

$2.42 ฿80.4

268.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.33

$1.41 ฿46.84

30.50%

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

$30.1K RON 136.4K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

40.30%

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

$29.1K RON 132.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

6.53%

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

$192 RON 871

$63.7 ฿2,112

201.55%

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

$7.81 RON 35.42

$12.85 ฿426

-39.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 40.53

$20.22 ฿671

-55.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 RON 210

$38.74 ฿1,285

19.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 RON 75.4

$3.97 ฿132

318.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 RON 41.04

$6.74 ฿223

34.27%

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

$421 RON 1,911

$778 ฿25.8K

-45.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,347 RON 33.3K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-49.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 RON 343

$54.3 ฿1,801

39.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 RON 184

$25.45 ฿844

59.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 RON 434

$94.3 ฿3,129

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 RON 434

$73.4 ฿2,436

30.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 RON 2,521

$490 ฿16.2K

13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,998

$289 ฿9,596

52.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 RON 4,153

$894 ฿29.6K

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 RON 3,166

$517 ฿17.1K

35.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 RON 13.4K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

51.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,991 RON 9,032

$1,477 ฿49.0K

34.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 RON 5,279

$602 ฿20.0K

93.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

5.57

28.90%

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

Last update for Iasi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Iasi versus $490 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 93% 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Iasi vs $240 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 38% 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 $1,958 per month in Iasi and $1,421 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 $421 per month in Iasi and $778 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 7% 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 $947, than in Iasi at $1,305. 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 $947 versus $1,305 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.