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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $947 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,553 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,158 in Roman, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Roman 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$12.12 RON 55.5

-82.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$35.46 RON 162

-44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.93 RON 36.30

-28.50%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.85 RON 13.05

-36.49%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.48 RON 6.78

-47.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.13 RON 5.19

-69.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.30 RON 15.10

-33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.38 RON 10.92

59.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.59 RON 7.26

28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.92 RON 4.21

64.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.50 RON 6.87

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.93 RON 13.42

-22.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.26 RON 42.44

74.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.76 RON 30.97

-57.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.76 RON 44.71

-3.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.09 RON 5.00

145.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.59 RON 7.26

-31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.49 RON 6.83

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.26 RON 10.34

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.78 RON 3.56

64.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.86 RON 3.95

23.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.91 RON 4.17

-20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.84 RON 3.86

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.65 RON 25.90

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.74 RON 30.90

171.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.19 RON 5.46

36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.72 RON 7.90

68.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.80 RON 3.69

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$23.11 RON 106

132.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$0.63 RON 2.88

85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.69 RON 3.17

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$6.94 RON 31.79

-65.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.85 RON 8.45

-21.62%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$30.2K RON 138.2K

-30.38%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.5K RON 126.0K

-3.94%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$186 RON 851

-65.72%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$7.27 RON 33.30

77.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$8.83 RON 40.44

132.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$39.94 RON 183

-2.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.48 RON 98.4

-81.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.77 RON 44.77

-32.65%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$309 RON 1,416

153.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,275 RON 33.3K

101.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$55.5 RON 254

-0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$27.21 RON 125

-9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$79.4 RON 364

18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$61.3 RON 281

20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$225 RON 1,032

117.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$168 RON 772

71.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$642 RON 2,941

38.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$462 RON 2,116

12.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,940 RON 8,889

1.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,381 RON 6,327

4.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$866 RON 3,967

-30.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.2

-22.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Roman: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $225 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Roman. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $207 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 2% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,421 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $309 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Roman at $947. 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 $932 versus $947 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.