Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roi Et Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roi Et

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $635 in Roi Et, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Roi Et, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,496 in Roi Et, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Roi Et, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Roi Et are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Roi Et 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.04 ฿66.8

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$15.11 ฿494

23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.08 ฿133

91.67%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.76 ฿57.4

10.80%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.76 ฿24.96

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.27 ฿8.71

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.50 ฿49.12

42.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.39 ฿78.1

56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.03 ฿66.3

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.07 ฿34.95

52.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.82 ฿92.2

-59.57%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.21 ฿72.2

-12.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$16.13 ฿527

0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.85 ฿158

-35.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.64 ฿347

2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.20 ฿137

-34.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.55 ฿50.6

-21.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$3.08 ฿101

-47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.91 ฿62.3

-16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.82 ฿59.4

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.59 ฿52.1

-26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.80 ฿26.04

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 ฿18.74

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.49 ฿147

4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.13 ฿494

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.14 ฿69.9

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.84 ฿92.6

13.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.90 ฿29.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.10 ฿36.01

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.20 ฿39.34

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.19 ฿202

26.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.26 ฿41.31

0.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$28.1K ฿916.2K

-24.16%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.1K ฿820.1K

-11.55%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$51.6 ฿1,684

33.93%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.49 ฿441

4.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.64 ฿478

22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.45 ฿1,256

6.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.41 ฿405

-43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.35 ฿240

-19.46%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$304 ฿9,913

-1.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$11.4K ฿371.9K

31.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$37.59 ฿1,228

45.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.19 ฿1,149

-23.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$54.2 ฿1,769

56.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$49.39 ฿1,613

42.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$419 ฿13.7K

2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$78.2 ฿2,555

203.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$243 ฿7,952

229.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$260 ฿8,478

98.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,310 ฿75.4K

-14.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,629 ฿53.2K

-9.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$932 ฿30.5K

-33.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Roi Et: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $419 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 51% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Roi Et. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $273 in Roi Et – so Chiang Mai 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 Roi Et: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Roi Et, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $952 in Roi Et. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roi Et, 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 $15.00 in Roi Et. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $635 in Roi Et, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Roi Et costs $635 versus $866 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 Roi Et. 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.