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 $983 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,490 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,998 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 36% lower, Roman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$12.10 RON 52.6

-83.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$27.98 RON 122

-32.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$7.90 RON 34.36

0.25%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$3.51 RON 15.25

-45.58%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.18 RON 5.12

-28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$2.08 RON 9.04

-83.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$3.16 RON 13.76

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.32 RON 10.08

63.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.53 RON 6.67

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.90 RON 3.90

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.59 RON 6.92

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$3.13 RON 13.60

-35.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$8.68 RON 37.75

83.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$7.16 RON 31.16

-57.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$11.70 RON 50.9

-7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$0.96 RON 4.18

171.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.54 RON 6.71

-20.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.52 RON 6.62

11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.25 RON 9.80

-29.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.84 RON 3.68

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.02 RON 4.42

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.88 RON 3.83

-23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.78 RON 3.40

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$5.74 RON 24.97

-21.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$6.86 RON 29.82

165.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.09 RON 4.75

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.73 RON 7.54

86.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.72 RON 3.11

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$20.13 RON 87.6

-3.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.70 RON 3.06

92.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.60 RON 2.61

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$6.80 RON 29.57

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.67 RON 7.26

-23.95%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$28.3K RON 123.1K

-25.27%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$27.6K RON 120.0K

-18.51%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$93.4 RON 406

-24.86%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$3.55 RON 15.43

287.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$5.82 RON 25.30

202.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$41.67 RON 181

-0.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$19.16 RON 83.4

-65.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$11.12 RON 48.36

-48.02%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$327 RON 1,425

-6.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$6,466 RON 28.1K

129.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$68.1 RON 296

-20.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$17.31 RON 75.3

51.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$96.0 RON 418

-11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$34.81 RON 151

99.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$382 RON 1,662

10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$291 RON 1,265

-18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$587 RON 2,554

40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$430 RON 1,869

19.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$1,672 RON 7,272

22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$1,534 RON 6,674

-0.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$911 RON 3,964

-30.29%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Roman: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $382 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 43% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $212 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,474 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $327 in Roman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Roman – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Roman at $983. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $983 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.