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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $679 per month in Ungheni vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Ungheni vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Ungheni vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ungheni is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ungheni and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 51% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 MDL 134

$2.08 ฿69.2

275.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.47 MDL 402

$19.64 ฿651

19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 MDL 117

$5.65 ฿188

20.88%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MDL 25.60

$1.81 ฿59.9

-17.13%

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

$0.79 MDL 13.55

$0.71 ฿23.66

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MDL 7.80

$0.32 ฿10.48

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MDL 17.59

$2.24 ฿74.2

-54.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MDL 24.66

$3.63 ฿121

-60.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.14

$1.96 ฿65.0

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 MDL 6.27

$1.50 ฿49.83

-75.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.24

$1.34 ฿44.32

-33.58%

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 33.62

$2.26 ฿75.1

-13.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MDL 182

$16.26 ฿539

-34.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 MDL 70.5

$2.95 ฿98.0

39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MDL 154

$9.94 ฿330

-9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$0.45 MDL 7.74

$2.57 ฿85.3

-82.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MDL 21.56

$1.06 ฿35.04

18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.74

$1.61 ฿53.5

-32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MDL 20.57

$1.52 ฿50.4

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MDL 8.24

$1.27 ฿42.14

-62.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 MDL 6.22

$1.07 ฿35.37

-66.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 MDL 40.85

$0.72 ฿23.89

231.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.46

$0.51 ฿16.87

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 60.7

$4.19 ฿139

-15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 MDL 77.2

$17.87 ฿593

-74.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 MDL 25.50

$1.69 ฿56.2

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MDL 29.22

$2.84 ฿94.1

-39.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.80

$0.93 ฿30.70

-63.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 MDL 30.37

$1.23 ฿40.95

43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 MDL 7.33

$0.58 ฿19.13

-25.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 MDL 65.5

$2.42 ฿80.4

58.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.28

$1.41 ฿46.84

0.71%

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

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

$21.6K MDL 369.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-21.12%

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

$141 MDL 2,417

$63.7 ฿2,112

121.75%

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

$11.72 MDL 201

$12.85 ฿426

-8.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 MDL 281

$20.22 ฿671

-18.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.75 MDL 252

$38.74 ฿1,285

-61.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MDL 71.2

$6.74 ฿223

-38.28%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 MDL 865

$54.3 ฿1,801

-6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.54 MDL 300

$25.45 ฿844

-31.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.62 MDL 593

$94.3 ฿3,129

-63.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MDL 1,192

$73.4 ฿2,436

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MDL 4,485

$490 ฿16.2K

-46.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 MDL 1,967

$289 ฿9,596

-60.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MDL 5,883

$894 ฿29.6K

-61.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MDL 5,032

$517 ฿17.1K

-43.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 MDL 39.4K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

17.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,756 MDL 30.1K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

18.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

43.63%

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

Last update for Ungheni: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Ungheni versus $490 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 $23.00 in Ungheni versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $174 in Ungheni vs $240 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

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Ungheni, 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 $1,019 per month in Ungheni and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ungheni, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $679 in Ungheni and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ungheni costs $679 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Ungheni. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.