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 $1,020 per month in Mamaia vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,568 per month in Mamaia vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,115 per month in Mamaia vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mamaia costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mamaia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mamaia 26% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.74 RON 44.12

$2.10 ฿69.3

363.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.93 RON 208

$19.84 ฿656

131.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.20

$5.79 ฿191

38.00%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.83

$1.83 ฿60.4

42.62%

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

$1.99 RON 9.01

$0.78 ฿25.61

155.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$0.31 ฿10.37

474.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 RON 10.53

$2.34 ฿77.2

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.34

$3.70 ฿122

-26.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$2.03 ฿67.1

-27.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.50

$1.60 ฿52.7

-23.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.31

$1.42 ฿46.75

14.08%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.62

$2.18 ฿71.9

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.38 RON 37.97

$15.91 ฿526

-47.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 RON 29.57

$3.07 ฿102

112.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 RON 44.32

$9.87 ฿326

-0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.33

$2.63 ฿86.8

-55.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.88

$1.10 ฿36.19

38.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.33

$1.63 ฿53.8

-0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 RON 9.90

$1.53 ฿50.6

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$1.24 ฿41.13

-31.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$1.13 ฿37.37

-15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.74 ฿24.38

27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.52

$0.50 ฿16.48

56.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 RON 26.67

$4.28 ฿141

37.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 RON 28.55

$17.97 ฿594

-64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RON 4.81

$1.70 ฿56.1

-37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.47

$2.90 ฿95.7

-43.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.94 ฿31.13

-23.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.53 RON 88.5

$55.3 ฿1,827

-64.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$1.23 ฿40.76

-42.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.53 ฿17.66

35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 RON 31.93

$2.40 ฿79.3

193.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.02

$1.44 ฿47.55

7.64%

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

$28.1K RON 127.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

32.75%

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

$27.2K RON 123.3K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-0.27%

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

$144 RON 652

$64.9 ฿2,145

121.59%

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

$8.22 RON 37.24

$13.35 ฿441

-38.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.79

$20.83 ฿688

-56.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 RON 185

$40.42 ฿1,336

1.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 86.0

$3.95 ฿131

380.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 RON 31.34

$6.71 ฿222

3.13%

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

$424 RON 1,922

$787 ฿26.0K

-46.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,060 RON 32.0K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-53.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 RON 314

$56.2 ฿1,858

23.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.71 RON 184

$24.95 ฿824

63.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 RON 345

$92.7 ฿3,063

-17.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 431

$75.1 ฿2,482

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 RON 1,782

$484 ฿16.0K

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,336

$287 ฿9,491

2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 RON 2,678

$910 ฿30.1K

-34.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 RON 1,987

$531 ฿17.5K

-17.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 RON 8,440

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-5.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,512 RON 6,847

$1,451 ฿47.9K

4.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.57

16.70%

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

Last update for Mamaia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Mamaia versus $484 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Mamaia vs $242 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 7% 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 $1,531 per month in Mamaia and $1,426 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 $424 per month in Mamaia and $787 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Mamaia at $1,020. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mamaia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,020 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.