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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $621 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,047 in Roche Terre, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,473 in Roche Terre, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Roche Terre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Roche Terre are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Roche Terre 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.95 MUR 283

-65.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$38.77 MUR 1,842

-49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.57 MUR 360

-25.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.58 MUR 122

-29.84%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.17 MUR 55.7

-34.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.67 MUR 31.70

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.59 MUR 123

-14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.74 MUR 225

-20.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.55 MUR 73.8

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.80 MUR 37.88

88.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.15 MUR 54.8

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.59 MUR 123

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.35 MUR 254

202.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.45 MUR 306

-55.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.51 MUR 547

-18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.87 MUR 136

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.59 MUR 123

-57.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.44 MUR 68.2

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$3.01 MUR 143

-51.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.99 MUR 47.18

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.94 MUR 44.52

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.69 MUR 32.94

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.85 MUR 40.42

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.66 MUR 316

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.27 MUR 393

121.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.64 MUR 78.0

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.28 MUR 108

27.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.28 MUR 203

-72.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.10 MUR 147

-81.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$20.82 MUR 989

-88.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.39 MUR 65.8

4.32%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.9K MUR 1.8M

-43.04%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.3K MUR 1.5M

-15.69%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$44.31 MUR 2,105

43.65%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.52 MUR 500

22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$29.73 MUR 1,412

-30.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.31 MUR 300

4.28%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$129 MUR 6,125

507.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,653 MUR 363.5K

91.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$79.1 MUR 3,756

-30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$75.7 MUR 3,596

-67.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$120 MUR 5,690

-21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$79.0 MUR 3,752

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Roche Terre: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Roche Terre. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $219 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

Chiang Mai costs about 50% more than Roche Terre, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $931 in Roche Terre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 in Roche Terre. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Roche Terre, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Roche Terre 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. Roche Terre costs $621 versus $932 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 Roche Terre. 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.