Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Targu Mures vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,031 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Targu Mures costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Targu Mures and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Targu Mures 20% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 RON 37.04

$1.95 ฿62.8

337.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.00 RON 178

$18.43 ฿594

122.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 RON 39.05

$7.50 ฿241

20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 9.97

$1.93 ฿62.3

19.17%

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

$1.32 RON 5.71

$0.78 ฿25.08

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.00

$0.32 ฿10.42

259.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.24

$2.15 ฿69.2

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.26

$3.71 ฿120

-23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.75

$1.71 ฿55.2

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$1.56 ฿50.3

-22.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.12

$1.18 ฿38.06

38.98%

Eggs

$3.07 RON 13.31

$1.98 ฿63.9

55.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 38.29

$16.04 ฿517

-45.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RON 31.27

$3.17 ฿102

127.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 RON 55.1

$10.94 ฿353

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$2.63 ฿84.7

-62.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.17 ฿37.61

11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.62

$1.65 ฿53.0

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 RON 8.45

$1.54 ฿49.51

26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$1.38 ฿44.34

-32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.00

$1.17 ฿37.54

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.45

$0.66 ฿21.25

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.48

$0.51 ฿16.55

56.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$4.52 ฿146

38.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 RON 35.20

$18.32 ฿590

-55.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.66

$1.80 ฿57.9

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$3.18 ฿102

-48.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.43

$0.90 ฿28.97

-37.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 RON 64.5

$19.00 ฿612

-21.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$1.41 ฿45.50

-31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.17

$1.31 ฿42.15

-44.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 RON 31.45

$8.09 ฿261

-10.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.00

$1.28 ฿41.08

25.78%

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

$28.1K RON 121.9K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

31.95%

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

$28.2K RON 122.4K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

29.92%

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

$172 RON 745

$69.2 ฿2,230

148.19%

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

$8.68 RON 37.67

$13.97 ฿450

-37.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.64 RON 41.84

$17.95 ฿578

-46.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.95 RON 204

$42.31 ฿1,363

10.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 RON 81.1

$6.66 ฿214

180.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 25.72

$5.92 ฿191

0.17%

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

$1,387 RON 6,019

$299 ฿9,640

363.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,872 RON 29.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-53.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 RON 308

$56.2 ฿1,810

26.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 RON 137

$26.94 ฿868

17.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 RON 323

$84.9 ฿2,735

-12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 RON 355

$71.8 ฿2,314

13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,930

$435 ฿14.0K

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,354

$240 ฿7,727

30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,459

$798 ฿25.7K

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,788

$498 ฿16.1K

-17.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,379 RON 10.3K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

19.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 RON 6,754

$1,532 ฿49.4K

1.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 RON 4,872

$628 ฿20.2K

78.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

63.40%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Targu Mures 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 79% higher in Targu Mures, 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 Targu Mures versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Targu Mures vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Targu Mures 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

Targu Mures vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures costs about 28% 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 $1,616 per month in Targu Mures 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 $1,387 per month in Targu Mures 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 12% cheaper in Targu Mures – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Targu Mures at $1,077. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Targu Mures it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,077 in Targu Mures. 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, Targu Mures makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.