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 $1,061 per month in Targu Mures vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,549 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,036 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Targu Mures costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Targu Mures and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Targu Mures 21% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.46 RON 38.78

$2.03 ฿68.4

316.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.85 RON 183

$18.71 ฿630

112.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 RON 40.30

$7.84 ฿264

12.12%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 10.05

$1.93 ฿64.9

13.47%

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

$1.32 RON 6.03

$0.83 ฿28.00

59.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.26

$0.35 ฿11.80

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.32

$2.22 ฿74.8

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.75

$3.79 ฿128

-26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.41

$1.65 ฿55.4

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.55 ฿52.3

-21.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.18 ฿39.79

34.75%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.40

$2.01 ฿67.9

45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 RON 39.78

$16.16 ฿544

-46.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.83

$3.03 ฿102

129.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 RON 57.9

$10.84 ฿365

16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$2.68 ฿90.3

-61.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.04

$1.22 ฿41.14

8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.97

$1.63 ฿54.8

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$1.53 ฿51.5

28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.34 ฿45.10

-32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.28

$1.21 ฿40.86

-23.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.70 ฿23.63

11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.53 ฿17.70

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 RON 28.67

$4.69 ฿158

33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 RON 33.89

$17.71 ฿597

-58.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.81

$1.85 ฿62.2

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 RON 7.40

$3.21 ฿108

-49.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.58

$0.89 ฿30.01

-37.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.04 RON 68.9

$18.76 ฿632

-19.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$1.41 ฿47.40

-36.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.29 ฿43.52

-44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 RON 34.47

$7.79 ฿262

-3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.39

$1.29 ฿43.59

24.81%

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

$27.8K RON 127.6K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

27.85%

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

$28.5K RON 130.8K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

31.47%

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

$167 RON 765

$70.0 ฿2,358

138.40%

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

$8.53 RON 39.09

$14.19 ฿478

-39.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 46.10

$17.42 ฿587

-42.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.19 RON 212

$41.64 ฿1,403

10.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 84.8

$6.89 ฿232

168.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 RON 26.73

$5.78 ฿195

0.87%

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

$1,378 RON 6,320

$300 ฿10.1K

359.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 32.2K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-51.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 RON 334

$55.4 ฿1,865

31.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.90 RON 146

$26.31 ฿886

21.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 RON 339

$84.8 ฿2,858

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 RON 368

$70.5 ฿2,375

13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 2,019

$425 ฿14.3K

3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,445

$235 ฿7,919

34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 RON 2,563

$802 ฿27.0K

-30.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,864

$516 ฿17.4K

-21.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 RON 10.5K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

19.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 RON 6,898

$1,451 ฿48.9K

3.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 RON 4,869

$586 ฿19.8K

81.14%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Targu Mures versus $425 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 81% 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 $40.00 in Targu Mures versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Targu Mures vs $242 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 25% 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 $1,592 per month in Targu Mures and $1,271 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 $1,378 per month in Targu Mures and $300 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 13% cheaper in Targu Mures – 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 $1,061 in Targu Mures and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,061 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.