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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,111 in Rosarito, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,753 in Rosarito, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,395 in Rosarito, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Rosarito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Rosarito are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Rosarito 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$11.94 MX$207

-83.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$31.35 MX$543

-41.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$7.88 MX$137

-4.82%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.94 MX$68.3

-51.02%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.11 MX$19.15

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.90 MX$15.53

-64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.88 MX$49.88

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$5.13 MX$88.9

-27.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.59 MX$27.50

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$2.47 MX$42.87

-36.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.76 MX$30.52

-32.95%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.12 MX$54.1

-36.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.46 MX$129

115.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.78 MX$100

-45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$10.26 MX$178

6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.59 MX$44.96

1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.53 MX$26.59

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.82 MX$31.49

-9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.61 MX$27.83

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.63 MX$28.31

-15.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.80 MX$31.16

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.06 MX$18.32

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.01 MX$17.55

-49.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.09 MX$70.9

10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.61 MX$149

112.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.94 MX$33.55

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$3.37 MX$58.3

-5.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.64 MX$11.09

40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.82 MX$48.94

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.61 MX$27.98

-18.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$3.19 MX$55.3

153.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.31 MX$22.64

-2.29%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

-8.20%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$20.3K MX$351.2K

7.10%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$57.6 MX$997

20.24%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$27.82 MX$482

-49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$30.97 MX$537

-42.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$36.34 MX$630

16.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$15.73 MX$273

-57.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$4.37 MX$75.7

35.47%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$210 MX$3,632

42.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$2,780 MX$48.2K

434.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$42.27 MX$733

32.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$35.25 MX$611

-23.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$86.0 MX$1,491

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$69.2 MX$1,200

3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$500 MX$8,669

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$402 MX$6,960

-40.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$949 MX$16.4K

-15.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$777 MX$13.5K

-35.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$2,167 MX$37.5K

-7.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,102 MX$19.1K

38.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

-57.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Rosarito: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $500 in Rosarito. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $31 in Rosarito. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Rosarito – so Rosarito 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 Rosarito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rosarito costs about 32% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,666 in Rosarito. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Rosarito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Rosarito – 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 $845, than in Rosarito at $1,111. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rosarito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,111 in Rosarito. 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, Rosarito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.