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 $918 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,429 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,940 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sfantu Gheorghe costs about 6% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 RON 38.36

$1.98 ฿65.0

326.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 RON 182

$18.80 ฿619

113.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 RON 41.40

$7.75 ฿255

17.68%

Cappuccino

$2.01 RON 9.12

$1.92 ฿63.2

4.69%

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

$1.27 RON 5.75

$0.79 ฿26.07

60.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.03

$0.36 ฿11.74

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.69

$2.21 ฿72.9

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.35

$3.66 ฿120

-25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.01

$1.65 ฿54.4

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.63 ฿53.7

-25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.14

$1.19 ฿39.28

13.45%

Eggs

$3.05 RON 13.83

$2.00 ฿65.8

52.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 RON 39.70

$15.98 ฿526

-45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 RON 18.68

$3.03 ฿99.6

35.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 RON 55.9

$10.86 ฿357

13.26%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$2.76 ฿90.9

-64.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.18 ฿38.83

11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.64 ฿54.0

-20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.01

$1.52 ฿50.0

30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.38 ฿45.59

-47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$1.19 ฿39.25

-26.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.70 ฿23.11

12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.56 ฿18.32

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 RON 25.05

$4.58 ฿151

20.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 RON 38.39

$16.56 ฿545

-48.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$1.83 ฿60.2

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$3.20 ฿105

-64.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.88 ฿28.87

-23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.63 RON 89.1

$18.72 ฿616

4.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$1.36 ฿44.64

-30.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$1.34 ฿44.12

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 RON 34.11

$7.84 ฿258

-4.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.19

$1.23 ฿40.35

28.46%

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

$27.9K RON 126.9K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

29.24%

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

$28.0K RON 127.3K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

24.35%

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

$168 RON 764

$70.5 ฿2,322

138.59%

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

$8.52 RON 38.69

$13.68 ฿450

-37.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.63 RON 43.74

$17.45 ฿574

-44.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.76 RON 185

$41.33 ฿1,361

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 RON 85.7

$6.96 ฿229

171.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 RON 15.21

$5.77 ฿190

-41.94%

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

$431 RON 1,958

$307 ฿10.1K

40.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,922 RON 31.4K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-52.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.47 RON 156

$55.8 ฿1,837

-38.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.69 RON 84.9

$26.21 ฿863

-28.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.87 RON 127

$85.8 ฿2,823

-67.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 RON 317

$72.2 ฿2,378

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 RON 1,451

$430 ฿14.1K

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 RON 1,042

$239 ฿7,857

-3.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,566

$817 ฿26.9K

-30.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,999

$511 ฿16.8K

-13.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 RON 8,744

$1,983 ฿65.3K

-2.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,397 RON 6,340

$1,484 ฿48.9K

-5.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$724 RON 3,287

$619 ฿20.4K

17.02%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $430 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 17% 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 $40.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $241 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 6% 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 $1,377 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe and $1,303 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 $431 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe and $307 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 23% 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 $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $918 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.