Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Turda and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,070 in Turda, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Turda, Romania
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Turda
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,070
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Turda and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Turda and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Turda vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Turda $1,070
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Turda vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Turda $1,607
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Turda vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Turda $2,144
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Turda costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Turda and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Turda 21% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.61 RON 60.4
$2.24 ฿75.6
462.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.43 RON 155
$19.00 ฿641
70.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.54 RON 40.84
$5.55 ฿187
53.87%
Cappuccino
$2.81 RON 13.46
$1.67 ฿56.5
68.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 RON 8.72
$0.64 ฿21.55
184.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 RON 6.74
$0.31 ฿10.31
354.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.13 RON 10.17
$2.36 ฿79.6
-9.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 RON 9.82
$3.66 ฿124
-43.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 RON 6.90
$1.95 ฿65.8
-26.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 RON 6.82
$1.44 ฿48.48
-0.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 RON 7.42
$1.33 ฿45.04
16.54%
Eggs
$2.85 RON 13.62
$2.28 ฿77.1
25.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.04 RON 28.91
$16.45 ฿555
-63.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.60 RON 31.58
$2.78 ฿93.9
137.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.58 RON 55.4
$9.31 ฿314
24.38%
Apples (1kg)
$1.10 RON 5.27
$2.35 ฿79.4
-53.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 RON 7.08
$0.97 ฿32.80
52.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 RON 6.55
$1.60 ฿53.9
-14.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.46 RON 11.75
$1.50 ฿50.6
64.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 RON 4.69
$1.28 ฿43.12
-23.44%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 RON 4.30
$1.10 ฿37.19
-18.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 RON 4.77
$0.71 ฿23.82
40.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 RON 4.84
$0.49 ฿16.37
106.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.32 RON 25.48
$4.14 ฿140
28.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.19 RON 34.39
$17.52 ฿591
-58.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 RON 5.80
$1.61 ฿54.5
-24.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 RON 7.63
$2.78 ฿94.0
-42.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 RON 5.86
$0.87 ฿29.31
40.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.96 RON 105
$54.1 ฿1,826
-59.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 RON 3.84
$1.16 ฿39.06
-31.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 RON 3.60
$0.53 ฿17.80
41.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.11 RON 29.22
$2.42 ฿81.8
152.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 RON 8.77
$1.45 ฿48.90
26.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K RON 138.7K
$21.1K ฿710.7K
37.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K RON 121.7K
$26.9K ฿909.3K
-5.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$153 RON 732
$62.2 ฿2,098
146.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.74 RON 41.82
$12.17 ฿411
-28.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.36 RON 44.79
$20.12 ฿679
-53.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.70 RON 180
$37.31 ฿1,259
1.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.23 RON 92.0
$3.77 ฿127
410.08%
Cinema Ticket
$9.53 RON 45.60
$6.49 ฿219
46.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$597 RON 2,855
$736 ฿24.8K
-18.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,363 RON 30.4K
$14.8K ฿498.3K
-56.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.42 RON 203
$53.4 ฿1,801
-20.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.25 RON 202
$24.64 ฿831
71.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 RON 489
$91.5 ฿3,087
11.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 RON 519
$71.9 ฿2,428
50.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$378 RON 1,811
$482 ฿16.3K
-21.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 RON 1,345
$309 ฿10.4K
-9.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$595 RON 2,847
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-40.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 RON 2,115
$633 ฿21.4K
-30.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,816 RON 8,688
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-23.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,264 RON 6,045
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-20.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turda
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$741 RON 3,544
$590 ฿19.9K
25.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.65
5.57
19.39%

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

Last update for Turda: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Turda
$281
Chiang Mai
$309 9.9% $28
Groceries & Markets
Turda
$209
Chiang Mai
$234 12.3% $26
Eating Out
Turda
$188
Chiang Mai
$78 58.7% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turda
$171
Chiang Mai
$94 44.8% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Turda
$133
Chiang Mai
$109 18.2% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Turda
$57
Chiang Mai
$50 11.4% $6.5
Getting Around
Turda
$31
Chiang Mai
$61 95.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Turda versus $482 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 26% higher in Turda. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Turda versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Turda vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Turda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Turda
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
15:55 3:55 PM
20:55 8:55 PM
5 h ahead of Turda
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
47,744
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Turda Chiang Mai 7,380 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Turda
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Turda vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Turda or Chiang Mai?
Turda costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Turda and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,605 per month in Turda and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Turda or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Turda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $378 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Turda and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $597 per month in Turda and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Turda or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Turda – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $800/month in Turda or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,070 in Turda and $936 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Turda or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,070 in Turda. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Turda compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Turda or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Turda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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