Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,341 in Leova, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Leova
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Leova Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Leova

🇲🇩 Moldova

$1,341

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leova and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Leova and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,341 per month in Leova vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leova $1,341
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $2,057 per month in Leova vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leova $2,057
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Leova vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Leova $2,773
Chiang Mai $1,979

Leova costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.31 MDL 184

$2.24 ฿75.7

360.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.24 MDL 594

$19.00 ฿642

74.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 MDL 160

$5.55 ฿188

61.08%

Cappuccino

$0.81 MDL 14.57

$1.67 ฿56.6

-51.50%

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

$0.49 MDL 8.72

$0.64 ฿21.56

-23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MDL 7.23

$0.31 ฿10.32

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 MDL 44.42

$2.36 ฿79.6

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MDL 47.13

$3.66 ฿124

-27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MDL 30.16

$1.95 ฿65.8

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 MDL 26.27

$1.44 ฿48.51

2.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 MDL 24.63

$1.33 ฿45.07

3.76%

Eggs

$1.36 MDL 24.39

$2.28 ฿77.1

-40.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 MDL 245

$16.45 ฿556

-16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.29 MDL 41.01

$2.78 ฿94.0

-17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.03 MDL 72.0

$9.31 ฿314

-56.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 MDL 22.86

$2.35 ฿79.5

-45.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 MDL 15.35

$0.97 ฿32.82

-11.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MDL 16.78

$1.60 ฿53.9

-41.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 19.46

$1.50 ฿50.7

-27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 27.23

$1.28 ฿43.15

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.52

$1.10 ฿37.22

-51.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 8.29

$0.71 ฿23.84

-35.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MDL 17.56

$0.49 ฿16.38

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MDL 78.9

$4.14 ฿140

6.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 MDL 265

$17.52 ฿592

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MDL 20.23

$1.61 ฿54.5

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MDL 47.75

$2.78 ฿94.0

-3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.70

$0.87 ฿29.33

-57.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.71 MDL 495

$54.1 ฿1,827

-48.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 MDL 48.62

$1.16 ฿39.08

134.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MDL 9.58

$0.53 ฿17.82

1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 MDL 61.2

$2.42 ฿81.8

41.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MDL 24.13

$1.45 ฿48.93

-6.90%

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

$34.1K MDL 609.5K

$21.1K ฿711.2K

61.87%

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

$34.0K MDL 607.0K

$26.9K ฿909.8K

26.02%

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

$184 MDL 3,285

$62.2 ฿2,100

195.56%

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

$5.51 MDL 98.6

$12.17 ฿411

-54.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.70 MDL 370

$20.12 ฿680

2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.2 MDL 1,488

$37.31 ฿1,260

123.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 MDL 201

$3.77 ฿127

198.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 MDL 80.8

$6.49 ฿219

-30.35%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MDL 1,496

$53.4 ฿1,802

56.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 MDL 972

$24.64 ฿832

120.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 MDL 1,705

$91.5 ฿3,089

4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,965

$71.9 ฿2,429

52.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MDL 11.5K

$482 ฿16.3K

32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 MDL 9,320

$309 ฿10.4K

68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 MDL 26.9K

$1,006 ฿34.0K

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MDL 19.4K

$633 ฿21.4K

71.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,489 MDL 44.5K

$2,363 ฿79.8K

5.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 33.7K

$1,589 ฿53.7K

18.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 MDL 11.7K

$590 ฿19.9K

10.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

5.57

29.08%

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

Last update for Leova: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Leova

$521 38.9%

Chiang Mai

$309 33% 40.7% $212

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Leova

$210 15.7%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 55% $116

Groceries & Markets

Leova

$188 14%

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1% 24.8% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Leova

$154 11.5%

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6% 29.7% $46

Eating Out

Leova

$140 10.5%

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3% 44.7% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Leova

$92 6.9%

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4% 45.5% $42

Getting Around

Leova

$35 2.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6% 77.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Leova versus $482 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 11% higher in Leova, 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 $33 in Leova versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Leova vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Leova wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Leova

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

16:08 4:08 PM

21:08 9:08 PM

5 h ahead of Leova

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,900

127,240

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.59 USD

100 MDL = 5.03 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇩 Moldovan Leu (L)

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 17.88 MDL (100 MDL = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 19.9 MDL (100 MDL = 5.03 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to MDL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Leova Chiang Mai 7,040 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Leova
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Leova costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $2,011 per month in Leova and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $641 in Leova.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Leova. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Leova – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,341 in Leova and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,341 in Leova. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.