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 $1,045 per month in Mamaia vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Mamaia vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Mamaia vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mamaia costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mamaia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 RON 42.77

$1.96 ฿64.0

400.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 RON 203

$18.81 ฿615

148.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 RON 35.07

$7.92 ฿259

1.52%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.17

$1.91 ฿62.6

34.03%

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

$1.91 RON 8.31

$0.84 ฿27.41

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$0.35 ฿11.51

394.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 RON 9.97

$2.21 ฿72.1

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.11

$3.80 ฿124

-26.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.64

$1.64 ฿53.5

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.30

$1.62 ฿53.1

-24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.29

$1.18 ฿38.62

41.53%

Eggs

$3.33 RON 14.51

$2.01 ฿65.8

65.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 RON 37.48

$15.89 ฿520

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 RON 28.64

$3.01 ฿98.5

118.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 RON 42.53

$10.77 ฿352

-9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.12

$2.61 ฿85.5

-54.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.69

$1.22 ฿39.88

25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.77

$1.70 ฿55.7

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.20

$1.58 ฿51.5

33.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$1.32 ฿43.14

-38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 3.92

$1.17 ฿38.23

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.84

$0.67 ฿21.98

31.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.64

$0.56 ฿18.32

48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 RON 25.81

$4.53 ฿148

30.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 RON 27.09

$18.20 ฿595

-65.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.46

$1.83 ฿60.0

-44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.37

$3.23 ฿106

-47.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$0.89 ฿29.00

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.66 RON 85.7

$19.38 ฿634

1.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.30

$1.35 ฿44.20

-43.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.11

$1.35 ฿44.05

-47.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 29.43

$8.25 ฿270

-18.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.27 ฿41.64

27.56%

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

$27.9K RON 121.5K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

31.75%

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

$27.1K RON 118.3K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

20.70%

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

$144 RON 629

$70.2 ฿2,294

105.80%

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

$7.88 RON 34.37

$13.77 ฿450

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.93 RON 38.94

$17.60 ฿575

-49.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 RON 180

$41.57 ฿1,360

-0.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 RON 83.2

$6.60 ฿216

189.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 RON 30.03

$5.78 ฿189

19.20%

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

$427 RON 1,862

$306 ฿10.0K

39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,823 RON 29.7K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-53.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 295

$54.4 ฿1,778

24.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 RON 173

$26.14 ฿855

51.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 329

$84.5 ฿2,764

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 RON 411

$69.4 ฿2,270

35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,668

$424 ฿13.9K

-9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,252

$238 ฿7,788

20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 RON 2,607

$825 ฿27.0K

-27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,943

$515 ฿16.8K

-13.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 RON 8,329

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-6.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,486 RON 6,479

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-2.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $383 in Mamaia versus $424 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 $47.00 in Mamaia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Mamaia vs $243 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 23% 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 $1,568 per month in Mamaia and $1,278 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 $427 per month in Mamaia and $306 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 18% 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 $1,045 in Mamaia and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,045 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.