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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,720 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,375 in Roche Terre, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Roche Terre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Roche Terre are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Roche Terre 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.51 MUR 305

-68.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$44.47 MUR 2,083

-57.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.21 MUR 338

9.02%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.55 MUR 119

-20.39%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.96 MUR 44.87

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.60 MUR 28.28

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.18 MUR 102

-1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.28 MUR 154

11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.64 MUR 76.8

5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.66 MUR 30.70

137.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.26 MUR 59.2

-4.76%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.28 MUR 107

-13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.80 MUR 553

37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.10 MUR 286

-49.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.82 MUR 601

-15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.98 MUR 92.8

39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.99 MUR 93.3

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.48 MUR 69.5

15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.73 MUR 128

-41.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.03 MUR 48.12

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.98 MUR 46.13

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.79 MUR 37.15

-16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.79 MUR 37.23

-34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.63 MUR 311

-29.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.70 MUR 407

104.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.81 MUR 84.9

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.14 MUR 100

56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.04 MUR 48.60

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.42 MUR 207

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.71 MUR 127

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$19.73 MUR 924

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-15.75%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

-40.28%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-22.98%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$50.2 MUR 2,352

42.04%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.12 MUR 849

-22.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$34.18 MUR 1,601

-47.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$38.86 MUR 1,820

5.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.92 MUR 277

-3.38%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$152 MUR 7,111

103.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,980 MUR 186.4K

268.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$83.9 MUR 3,931

-33.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$79.9 MUR 3,744

-67.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$133 MUR 6,209

-36.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.8 MUR 4,488

-25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$504 MUR 23.6K

-16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$350 MUR 16.4K

-30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$952 MUR 44.6K

-16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$708 MUR 33.2K

-28.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Roche Terre: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $504 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 $44.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $231 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 25% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,599 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 $44.00 in Roche Terre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $852, than in Roche Terre at $1,066. 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 $852 versus $1,066 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.