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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Mamaia vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Mamaia vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,096 per month in Mamaia vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mamaia costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mamaia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 25% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 RON 44.15

$1.98 ฿64.3

392.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.49 RON 210

$18.80 ฿612

147.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.01

$7.75 ฿252

2.71%

Cappuccino

$2.66 RON 12.03

$1.92 ฿62.5

38.54%

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

$1.93 RON 8.73

$0.79 ฿25.79

144.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$0.36 ฿11.62

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 10.28

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.59

$3.66 ฿119

-24.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.95

$1.65 ฿53.8

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.68

$1.63 ฿53.2

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.73

$1.19 ฿38.86

43.70%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.53

$2.00 ฿65.1

60.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 RON 37.77

$15.98 ฿520

-47.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 RON 30.26

$3.03 ฿98.5

120.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 RON 44.83

$10.86 ฿354

-8.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.20

$2.76 ฿90.0

-58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.18 ฿38.42

33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.64 ฿53.5

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$1.52 ฿49.51

40.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.92

$1.38 ฿45.10

-36.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$1.19 ฿38.84

-26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$0.70 ฿22.86

32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.56 ฿18.13

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 RON 27.31

$4.58 ฿149

31.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 RON 28.08

$16.56 ฿539

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.83

$1.83 ฿59.5

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$3.20 ฿104

-48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.07

$0.88 ฿28.56

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.56 RON 88.5

$18.72 ฿610

4.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$1.36 ฿44.16

-47.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.39

$1.34 ฿43.65

-44.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 RON 30.63

$7.84 ฿256

-13.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.08

$1.23 ฿39.92

27.64%

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

$28.4K RON 128.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

31.33%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

22.19%

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

$146 RON 662

$70.5 ฿2,298

107.61%

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

$8.19 RON 37.05

$13.68 ฿445

-40.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.91 RON 40.29

$17.45 ฿568

-48.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.81 RON 189

$41.33 ฿1,346

1.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 RON 86.0

$6.96 ฿227

172.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 RON 31.52

$5.77 ฿188

20.80%

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

$422 RON 1,909

$307 ฿10.0K

37.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,856 RON 31.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-53.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 RON 310

$55.8 ฿1,817

22.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 RON 183

$26.21 ฿854

54.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 RON 338

$85.8 ฿2,793

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 431

$72.2 ฿2,353

32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,770

$430 ฿14.0K

-8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,313

$239 ฿7,774

21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 RON 2,637

$817 ฿26.6K

-28.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 RON 1,986

$511 ฿16.6K

-14.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 RON 8,466

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-5.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,515 RON 6,851

$1,484 ฿48.3K

2.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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 Mamaia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Mamaia versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Mamaia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Mamaia vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Mamaia 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

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

Mamaia costs about 17% 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 $1,522 per month in Mamaia and $1,303 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 $422 per month in Mamaia and $307 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 16% cheaper in Mamaia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,015 in Mamaia and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,015 in Mamaia. 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, Mamaia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.