Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $923 per month in Ungheni vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,666 per month in Ungheni vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,409 per month in Ungheni vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ungheni costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ungheni and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 MDL 123

$1.94 ฿63.5

269.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.56 MDL 525

$18.64 ฿609

63.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MDL 99.0

$7.82 ฿255

-26.34%

Cappuccino

$1.47 MDL 25.32

$1.95 ฿63.8

-24.62%

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

$0.71 MDL 12.20

$0.85 ฿27.77

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.78

$0.35 ฿11.58

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 MDL 24.69

$2.13 ฿69.6

-32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.57

$3.73 ฿122

-61.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.15

$1.71 ฿56.0

-24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 MDL 7.69

$1.63 ฿53.2

-72.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.20

$1.14 ฿37.15

-12.28%

Eggs

$2.16 MDL 37.20

$1.93 ฿63.1

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 MDL 130

$16.21 ฿530

-53.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 MDL 68.4

$3.12 ฿102

27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 MDL 116

$10.90 ฿356

-37.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.54

$2.75 ฿90.0

-79.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.84

$1.21 ฿39.52

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.81

$1.62 ฿53.0

6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 23.31

$1.59 ฿51.8

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.36

$1.40 ฿45.70

-61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$1.17 ฿38.17

-71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.31

$0.66 ฿21.60

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MDL 8.19

$0.53 ฿17.22

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$4.69 ฿153

-32.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 MDL 75.4

$18.66 ฿609

-76.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MDL 19.67

$1.80 ฿58.8

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 MDL 23.24

$3.23 ฿106

-58.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$0.90 ฿29.26

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 MDL 29.48

$1.41 ฿45.91

21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$1.29 ฿42.12

-80.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MDL 77.3

$7.84 ฿256

-42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.27

$1.27 ฿41.58

-2.36%

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

$32.6K MDL 559.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

53.05%

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

$30.9K MDL 531.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

39.23%

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

$167 MDL 2,865

$69.1 ฿2,256

141.26%

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

$7.73 MDL 133

$14.08 ฿460

-45.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 MDL 183

$18.00 ฿588

-40.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.83 MDL 358

$41.06 ฿1,341

-49.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 MDL 69.3

$5.92 ฿193

-31.93%

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

$395 MDL 6,786

$299 ฿9,766

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,623 MDL 131.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-49.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.67 MDL 751

$54.7 ฿1,787

-20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.84 MDL 376

$26.77 ฿874

-18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.71 MDL 683

$85.0 ฿2,776

-53.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,887

$70.6 ฿2,306

55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 MDL 16.2K

$428 ฿14.0K

119.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MDL 6,302

$237 ฿7,752

54.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 MDL 25.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

85.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

141.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,361 MDL 40.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

19.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,752 MDL 30.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

18.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Ungheni: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Ungheni versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Ungheni versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Ungheni vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ungheni 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

Ungheni vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ungheni costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,384 per month in Ungheni and $1,300 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Ungheni and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 65% cheaper in Ungheni – 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 $866, than in Ungheni at $923. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ungheni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $923 in Ungheni. 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, Ungheni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.