Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roche Terre Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roche Terre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,048 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,740 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,432 in Roche Terre, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Roche Terre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Roche Terre are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Roche Terre 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.50 MUR 306

-69.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.14 MUR 2,032

-56.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.18 MUR 338

7.94%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.68 MUR 126

-28.36%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.01 MUR 47.34

-21.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.56 MUR 26.43

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.18 MUR 103

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.21 MUR 151

14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.64 MUR 77.1

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.70 MUR 33.00

132.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.27 MUR 59.7

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.35 MUR 111

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.70 MUR 551

36.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.29 MUR 296

-51.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.68 MUR 597

-14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.01 MUR 94.5

37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.97 MUR 92.6

-40.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.50 MUR 70.7

9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.66 MUR 125

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.03 MUR 48.46

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.98 MUR 46.27

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.86 MUR 40.29

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 MUR 35.47

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.47 MUR 305

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.56 MUR 403

93.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.79 MUR 84.2

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.17 MUR 102

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.05 MUR 49.30

-16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.28 MUR 202

-68.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.73 MUR 128

-50.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.65 MUR 925

-60.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MUR 68.1

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

-40.43%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-23.26%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.38 MUR 2,325

42.85%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.69 MUR 880

-26.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.11 MUR 1,559

-47.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.64 MUR 1,773

9.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.16 MUR 290

-6.33%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$153 MUR 7,191

101.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,910 MUR 184.1K

273.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.4 MUR 4,068

-35.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$80.2 MUR 3,774

-67.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$132 MUR 6,207

-34.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$94.5 MUR 4,448

-23.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$517 MUR 24.4K

-16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$348 MUR 16.4K

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$946 MUR 44.6K

-13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$727 MUR 34.2K

-29.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Roche Terre: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $517 in Roche Terre. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $232 in Roche Terre – so Roche Terre 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

Chiang Mai vs Roche Terre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roche Terre costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,572 in Roche Terre. 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 $43.00 in Roche Terre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Roche Terre – 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 $869, than in Roche Terre at $1,048. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roche Terre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,048 in Roche Terre. 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, Roche Terre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.