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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,212 in Roatan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,980 in Roatan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,749 in Roatan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Roatan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Roatan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Roatan 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$7.35 HNL 197

-72.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$40.22 HNL 1,076

-53.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$8.89 HNL 238

-11.81%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$3.69 HNL 98.8

-47.70%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$1.24 HNL 33.19

-33.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.70 HNL 18.74

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$2.22 HNL 59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$4.12 HNL 110

-8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.30 HNL 34.79

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$3.24 HNL 86.7

-52.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$2.14 HNL 57.3

-44.86%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.98 HNL 53.0

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$10.82 HNL 289

49.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.77 HNL 181

-55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$17.97 HNL 481

-39.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.13 HNL 30.11

7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.09 HNL 29.10

49.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.58 HNL 15.38

163.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.07 HNL 28.56

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$1.08 HNL 28.86

12.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$1.02 HNL 27.41

-31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$2.94 HNL 78.8

-81.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.98 HNL 79.6

57.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$7.54 HNL 202

134.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$4.10 HNL 110

-21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$2.04 HNL 54.5

-30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$9.91 HNL 265

-21.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.05 HNL 28.10

22.86%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$30.3K HNL 809.8K

-28.36%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

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

$14.19 ฿478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$98.4 HNL 2,633

-82.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$60.4 HNL 1,614

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$425 HNL 11.4K

-29.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$4,118 HNL 110.1K

252.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$40.11 HNL 1,073

38.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$20.18 HNL 540

30.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$39.47 HNL 1,056

114.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$50.9 HNL 1,361

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$844 HNL 22.6K

-49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$550 HNL 14.7K

-57.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$741 HNL 19.8K

8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,248 HNL 33.4K

-58.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,873 HNL 50.1K

2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,335 HNL 35.7K

8.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$492 HNL 13.2K

19.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-72.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Roatan: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $844 in Roatan. 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 19% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Roatan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $264 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Roatan costs about 43% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,818 in Roatan. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $40.00 in Roatan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Roatan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Roatan at $1,212. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roatan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,212 in Roatan. 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, Roatan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.