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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,949 in Roman, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Roman 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$12.39 RON 56.1

-84.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$28.00 RON 127

-32.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.84 RON 35.48

-1.15%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.36 RON 15.21

-42.86%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.12 RON 5.07

-29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.09 RON 9.44

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.15 RON 14.26

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.35 RON 10.63

55.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.48 RON 6.71

11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.95 RON 4.29

71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.64 RON 7.44

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.02 RON 13.68

-33.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.71 RON 39.42

83.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.82 RON 30.86

-55.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.29 RON 51.1

-3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.95 RON 4.32

190.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.48 RON 6.69

-20.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.48 RON 6.70

10.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.22 RON 10.06

-31.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.77 RON 3.49

79.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.03 RON 4.65

15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.93 RON 4.21

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.85 RON 3.82

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.74 RON 25.95

-20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.66 RON 30.12

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.14 RON 5.18

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.64 RON 7.43

95.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.72 RON 3.27

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$19.68 RON 89.0

-4.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.72 RON 3.24

88.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.66 RON 2.97

103.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.74 RON 30.48

16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.68 RON 7.58

-26.79%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$28.3K RON 128.1K

-23.67%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.0K RON 126.4K

-19.34%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$90.6 RON 410

-22.15%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.47 RON 15.70

294.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$5.69 RON 25.76

206.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$41.72 RON 189

-0.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.99 RON 85.9

-63.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$10.76 RON 48.66

-46.38%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$328 RON 1,482

-6.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,627 RON 30.0K

120.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$67.3 RON 305

-17.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$17.09 RON 77.3

53.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$96.6 RON 437

-11.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$34.85 RON 158

107.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$387 RON 1,749

11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$286 RON 1,293

-16.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$577 RON 2,608

41.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$441 RON 1,993

15.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,070 RON 9,365

-4.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,266 RON 5,725

17.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$854 RON 3,863

-27.53%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Roman: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $387 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 38% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $208 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 15% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,494 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $328 in Roman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $996 in Roman, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $996 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.