Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfantu Gheorghe and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfantu Gheorghe and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Sfantu Gheorghe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sfantu Gheorghe 32% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.62 RON 37.39

$1.95 ฿62.8

342.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.74 RON 177

$18.43 ฿594

121.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 RON 38.21

$7.50 ฿241

17.33%

Cappuccino

$2.03 RON 8.81

$1.93 ฿62.3

5.18%

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

$1.27 RON 5.53

$0.78 ฿25.08

62.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.03

$0.32 ฿10.42

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 RON 9.35

$2.15 ฿69.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 RON 12.22

$3.71 ฿120

-24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.04

$1.71 ฿55.2

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 RON 5.03

$1.56 ฿50.3

-25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.06

$1.18 ฿38.06

18.64%

Eggs

$2.95 RON 12.79

$1.98 ฿63.9

48.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 RON 37.98

$16.04 ฿517

-45.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 RON 18.23

$3.17 ฿102

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 RON 53.9

$10.94 ฿353

13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.26

$2.63 ฿84.7

-62.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.93

$1.17 ฿37.61

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.65 ฿53.0

-24.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.33

$1.54 ฿49.51

24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.13

$1.38 ฿44.34

-47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 3.96

$1.17 ฿37.54

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.40

$0.66 ฿21.25

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 RON 2.95

$0.51 ฿16.55

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 RON 24.26

$4.52 ฿146

23.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 RON 34.37

$18.32 ฿590

-56.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.55

$1.80 ฿57.9

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 RON 5.12

$3.18 ฿102

-62.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.89

$0.90 ฿28.97

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.90 RON 86.4

$19.00 ฿612

4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.91

$1.41 ฿45.50

-36.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$1.31 ฿42.15

-43.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 RON 32.09

$8.09 ฿261

-8.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 6.99

$1.28 ฿41.08

25.78%

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

$28.5K RON 123.6K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

33.69%

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

$28.0K RON 121.4K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

28.85%

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

$169 RON 735

$69.2 ฿2,230

144.81%

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

$8.86 RON 38.46

$13.97 ฿450

-36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 43.74

$17.95 ฿578

-43.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 RON 177

$42.31 ฿1,363

-3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 RON 81.7

$6.66 ฿214

182.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 RON 14.67

$5.92 ฿191

-42.91%

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

$427 RON 1,855

$299 ฿9,640

42.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,995 RON 30.4K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-52.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.39 RON 149

$56.2 ฿1,810

-38.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.14 RON 78.7

$26.94 ฿868

-32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.09 RON 122

$84.9 ฿2,735

-66.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 RON 304

$71.8 ฿2,314

-2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,368

$435 ฿14.0K

-27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 RON 990

$240 ฿7,727

-4.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 RON 2,483

$798 ฿25.7K

-28.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 RON 1,906

$498 ฿16.1K

-11.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,830 RON 7,942

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,373 RON 5,960

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-10.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 RON 3,296

$628 ฿20.2K

20.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

35.00%

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

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $435 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.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Sfantu Gheorghe, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Sfantu Gheorghe 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

Sfantu Gheorghe vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfantu Gheorghe 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 $1,360 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe and $1,267 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 Sfantu Gheorghe and $299 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 24% cheaper in Sfantu Gheorghe – 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 $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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, Sfantu Gheorghe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.