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 $692 per month in Orhei vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Orhei vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,483 per month in Orhei vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Orhei is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Orhei and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Orhei 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 MDL 150

$1.96 ฿65.9

338.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.89 MDL 642

$18.35 ฿617

101.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 MDL 133

$7.48 ฿252

1.87%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.81

$2.02 ฿67.8

-9.41%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.88

$0.85 ฿28.52

7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.95

$0.36 ฿11.97

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.08

$2.14 ฿71.9

-19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MDL 39.98

$3.59 ฿121

-35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.49

$1.65 ฿55.5

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.22

$1.57 ฿52.7

-66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.15

$1.19 ฿40.05

26.05%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.42

$1.94 ฿65.1

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 MDL 180

$16.19 ฿545

-36.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MDL 96.8

$2.99 ฿101

85.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 MDL 153

$10.94 ฿368

-19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$2.71 ฿91.2

-66.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.95

$1.17 ฿39.27

57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.52

$1.69 ฿56.8

0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.63

$1.60 ฿54.0

35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.27

$1.38 ฿46.56

-44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.72

$1.20 ฿40.47

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.44

$0.67 ฿22.51

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$0.56 ฿18.74

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.6

$4.64 ฿156

-28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.13

$1.86 ฿62.6

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 33.06

$3.30 ฿111

-42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 MDL 2.92

$0.88 ฿29.70

-80.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MDL 35.89

$1.36 ฿45.92

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.34

$1.34 ฿45.00

-81.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 89.0

$8.21 ฿276

-37.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.75

$1.22 ฿41.20

11.48%

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

$31.8K MDL 553.9K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

49.00%

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

$31.6K MDL 550.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

40.44%

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

$173 MDL 3,003

$70.7 ฿2,378

144.09%

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

$7.44 MDL 130

$14.04 ฿472

-47.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.64 MDL 185

$17.49 ฿589

-39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 MDL 129

$5.92 ฿199

25.51%

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

$387 MDL 6,744

$309 ฿10.4K

25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,675 MDL 133.6K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-48.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MDL 1,135

$55.8 ฿1,876

16.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 948

$26.11 ฿879

108.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,984

$83.0 ฿2,793

37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,167

$70.5 ฿2,371

76.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Orhei versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Orhei vs $243 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 24% 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 $1,038 per month in Orhei and $1,292 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 $37.00 in Orhei and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $692 in Orhei and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Orhei costs $692 versus $861 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.