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 $1,037 per month in Mamaia vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,555 per month in Mamaia vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,073 per month in Mamaia vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mamaia costs about 22% 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

$10.05 RON 45.90

$2.04 ฿68.4

392.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 RON 207

$18.71 ฿626

142.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 RON 34.83

$7.86 ฿263

-2.93%

Cappuccino

$2.56 RON 11.71

$2.03 ฿67.9

26.11%

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

$1.91 RON 8.74

$0.80 ฿26.71

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.93

$0.35 ฿11.71

397.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 RON 10.45

$2.14 ฿71.7

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.90

$3.67 ฿123

-22.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.93

$1.73 ฿57.8

-12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.76

$1.57 ฿52.5

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.42

$1.20 ฿40.10

35.00%

Eggs

$3.30 RON 15.09

$1.97 ฿66.0

67.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 RON 38.62

$16.23 ฿543

-47.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 RON 31.10

$3.06 ฿102

122.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.96 RON 45.49

$10.80 ฿361

-7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.44

$2.77 ฿92.6

-57.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.02

$1.17 ฿39.05

31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.13

$1.71 ฿57.1

-8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 RON 10.06

$1.59 ฿53.3

38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$1.39 ฿46.63

-36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$1.16 ฿38.67

-19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.11

$0.66 ฿22.11

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$0.52 ฿17.35

59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 RON 27.29

$4.65 ฿155

28.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 RON 28.08

$17.78 ฿595

-65.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.62

$1.79 ฿59.8

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.38

$3.34 ฿112

-51.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.91 ฿30.35

-21.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.81 RON 90.5

$18.64 ฿624

6.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.41 ฿47.17

-48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$1.34 ฿44.82

-46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 RON 31.18

$8.11 ฿271

-15.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.02

$1.23 ฿41.27

25.20%

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

$28.4K RON 129.9K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

32.69%

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

$27.0K RON 123.4K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

23.82%

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

$145 RON 662

$71.3 ฿2,386

103.14%

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

$7.94 RON 36.27

$14.01 ฿469

-43.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.23 RON 42.15

$17.93 ฿600

-48.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.76 RON 191

$40.82 ฿1,365

2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.30 RON 88.1

$6.88 ฿230

180.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 RON 30.79

$5.72 ฿191

17.83%

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

$432 RON 1,974

$308 ฿10.3K

40.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,919 RON 31.6K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-52.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 RON 315

$55.8 ฿1,865

23.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 RON 184

$26.04 ฿871

54.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 RON 344

$84.8 ฿2,837

-11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 434

$71.0 ฿2,375

33.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,761

$423 ฿14.2K

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,308

$242 ฿8,110

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 RON 2,631

$797 ฿26.7K

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,962

$507 ฿17.0K

-15.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,920 RON 8,767

$1,918 ฿64.2K

0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,473 RON 6,725

$1,464 ฿49.0K

0.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Mamaia versus $423 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 $45.00 in Mamaia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Mamaia vs $244 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 22% 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 $1,555 per month in Mamaia and $1,279 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 $432 per month in Mamaia and $308 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 17% 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 $1,037 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 $1,037 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.