Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roi Et

For one person, living is cheaper in Roi Et: $911 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $290 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Roi Et
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Roi Et Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Roi Et

🇹🇭 Thailand

$911

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Roi Et

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Roi Et actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $911 in Roi Et, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Roi Et $911

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,441 in Roi Et, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Roi Et $1,441

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,971 in Roi Et, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Roi Et $1,971

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Roi Et, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Roi Et are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Roi Et 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$1.95 ฿65.9

9.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$17.98 ฿606

3.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$6.66 ฿225

-15.92%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$1.90 ฿63.9

-12.63%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.73 ฿24.50

-10.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.28 ฿9.52

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$2.11 ฿71.1

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$3.00 ฿101

22.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.61 ฿54.3

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.48 ฿50.1

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$1.22 ฿41.24

13.93%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$1.96 ฿66.1

20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$16.47 ฿556

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$2.13 ฿71.8

25.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$11.20 ฿378

-19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$2.97 ฿100

-19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$1.08 ฿36.41

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.75 ฿59.1

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$1.29 ฿43.48

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$0.97 ฿32.75

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$1.06 ฿35.79

-28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$0.48 ฿16.17

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$4.50 ฿152

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$15.03 ฿507

19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.59 ฿53.6

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$2.79 ฿94.0

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.93 ฿31.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.09 ฿36.85

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$1.17 ฿39.51

-85.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$4.92 ฿166

-63.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$1.21 ฿40.84

21.49%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$29.7K ฿1.0M

-29.33%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$26.4K ฿890.7K

0.41%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$81.8 ฿2,758

-23.49%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$11.18 ฿377

3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$18.85 ฿636

7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$49.87 ฿1,682

-24.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$14.68 ฿495

-74.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$7.22 ฿243

-9.83%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$533 ฿18.0K

36.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$14.6K ฿492.8K

13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$49.77 ฿1,679

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$25.93 ฿875

-4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$59.6 ฿2,011

51.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$74.9 ฿2,525

-3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$448 ฿15.1K

7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$318 ฿10.7K

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$1,246 ฿42.0K

-15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$705 ฿23.8K

-6.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$2,048 ฿69.1K

18.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$1,797 ฿60.6K

-10.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$892 ฿30.1K

-33.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Roi Et: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Roi Et

$318 34.9% 2.5% $7.8

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Roi Et

$233 25.6% 1.6% $3.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Roi Et

$95 10.4% 12.7% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Roi Et

$112 12.3% 18.3% $17

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Roi Et

$79 8.7% 3.1% $2.3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Roi Et

$11 * 1.2% 81.8% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Roi Et

$64 7.1% 26.3% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $448 in Roi Et. 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 50% higher in Roi Et, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $18 in Roi Et. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $233 – making Roi Et the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Roi Et

🕒 Local time

13:22 1:22 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

34,229

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Roi Et 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Roi Et

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Roi Et: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Roi Et, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,366 in Roi Et. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $481 in Chiang Mai and $448 in Roi Et. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $911 in Roi Et. That makes Roi Et about 3% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $18 in Roi Et. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $911 in Roi Et. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Roi Et – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.