Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roman Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $994 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,950 in Roman, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Roman 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.34 RON 56.1

-83.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.51 RON 125

-31.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.96 RON 36.20

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.35 RON 15.24

-39.40%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.14 RON 5.18

-29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.08 RON 9.45

-83.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.20 RON 14.53

-33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.32 RON 10.53

58.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.50 RON 6.81

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.89 RON 4.05

76.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.59 RON 7.22

-24.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.97 RON 13.48

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.90 RON 40.45

82.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.87 RON 31.24

-55.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.32 RON 51.5

-4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.91 RON 4.12

204.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.54 RON 7.02

-24.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.48 RON 6.72

15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.23 RON 10.13

-28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.80 RON 3.63

73.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.01 RON 4.60

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.94 RON 4.26

-29.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.85 RON 3.86

-38.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.79 RON 26.31

-19.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.54 RON 29.73

171.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.15 RON 5.22

55.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.71 RON 7.76

95.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.70 RON 3.20

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$19.96 RON 90.7

-6.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.67 RON 3.04

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.61 RON 2.75

119.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.88 RON 31.28

17.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.66 RON 7.53

-25.90%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$28.1K RON 127.9K

-23.82%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$27.4K RON 124.7K

-20.43%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$93.4 RON 425

-23.66%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.40 RON 15.46

312.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$5.60 RON 25.47

220.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$40.66 RON 185

0.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.35 RON 88.0

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$10.99 RON 49.94

-47.95%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$325 RON 1,477

-5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,589 RON 30.0K

122.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$67.6 RON 307

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$17.61 RON 80.1

47.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$95.9 RON 436

-11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$33.92 RON 154

109.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$388 RON 1,765

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$290 RON 1,320

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$581 RON 2,643

37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$444 RON 2,017

14.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,229 RON 10.1K

-13.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,357 RON 6,168

7.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$859 RON 3,907

-30.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

-35.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Roman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $388 in Roman. 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 44% higher in Roman, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Roman. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Roman – so Roman 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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roman costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,490 in Roman. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $325 in Roman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Roman – 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $994 in Roman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $994 in Roman. 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, Roman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.