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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $683 per month in Orhei vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,091 per month in Orhei vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Orhei vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Orhei is about 21% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Orhei and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Orhei 49% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 MDL 147

$1.94 ฿63.5

341.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.37 MDL 625

$18.64 ฿609

95.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.82 ฿255

-5.63%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.15

$1.95 ฿63.8

-4.10%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.87

$0.85 ฿27.77

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.00

$0.35 ฿11.58

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 30.82

$2.13 ฿69.6

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$3.73 ฿122

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.88

$1.71 ฿56.0

-25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.51

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.76

$1.14 ฿37.15

31.58%

Eggs

$2.58 MDL 44.40

$1.93 ฿63.1

33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 MDL 175

$16.21 ฿530

-37.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 MDL 93.9

$3.12 ฿102

75.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MDL 148

$10.90 ฿356

-21.10%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 MDL 15.21

$2.75 ฿90.0

-68.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.66

$1.21 ฿39.52

52.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 MDL 30.72

$1.62 ฿53.0

10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.36

$1.59 ฿51.8

36.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.18

$1.40 ฿45.70

-41.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.60

$1.17 ฿38.17

-52.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.34

$0.66 ฿21.60

96.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$0.53 ฿17.22

54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 56.9

$4.69 ฿153

-29.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.87

$1.80 ฿58.8

-32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.17

$3.23 ฿106

-40.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 MDL 3.17

$0.90 ฿29.26

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MDL 35.44

$1.41 ฿45.91

46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$1.29 ฿42.12

-79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MDL 93.1

$7.84 ฿256

-30.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.57

$1.27 ฿41.58

12.60%

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

$32.0K MDL 549.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

50.25%

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

$30.5K MDL 523.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

37.22%

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

$174 MDL 2,993

$69.1 ฿2,256

152.05%

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

$7.33 MDL 126

$14.08 ฿460

-47.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.85 MDL 187

$18.00 ฿588

-39.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 MDL 134

$5.92 ฿193

31.76%

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

$392 MDL 6,739

$299 ฿9,766

31.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,545 MDL 129.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-49.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MDL 1,134

$54.7 ฿1,787

20.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 MDL 929

$26.77 ฿874

101.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,910

$85.0 ฿2,776

30.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,116

$70.6 ฿2,306

74.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

84.80%

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

Last update for Orhei: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Orhei versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Orhei vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Orhei 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Orhei, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,024 per month in Orhei and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Orhei and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $683 in Orhei and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Orhei costs $683 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Orhei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.