Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rose Belle Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rose Belle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $612 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,009 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,406 in Rose Belle, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Rose Belle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Rose Belle 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$5.82 MUR 277

-64.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$25.14 MUR 1,194

-22.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.38 MUR 351

-23.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.61 MUR 76.4

12.42%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.09 MUR 51.6

-29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.50 MUR 23.76

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.51 MUR 119

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.88 MUR 232

-22.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.55 MUR 73.8

32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.79 MUR 37.40

91.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.14 MUR 54.3

22.81%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.70 MUR 128

-16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$5.16 MUR 245

213.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.48 MUR 308

-55.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.35 MUR 539

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.77 MUR 132

-3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.63 MUR 125

-58.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.40 MUR 66.6

15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$2.89 MUR 137

-49.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.96 MUR 45.78

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.01 MUR 47.98

4.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.71 MUR 33.54

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.91 MUR 43.02

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.63 MUR 315

-36.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$8.37 MUR 398

118.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.63 MUR 77.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.38 MUR 113

21.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.95 MUR 45.17

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$4.35 MUR 207

-73.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.20 MUR 152

-81.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$21.44 MUR 1,018

-88.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.33 MUR 63.1

9.02%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.2K MUR 1.7M

-41.88%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

-16.00%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$45.09 MUR 2,142

41.16%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$10.40 MUR 494

23.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$28.66 MUR 1,361

-28.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.24 MUR 296

5.45%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$129 MUR 6,149

505.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$7,550 MUR 358.6K

94.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$78.3 MUR 3,718

-29.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$73.2 MUR 3,475

-66.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$122 MUR 5,816

-23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$79.1 MUR 3,758

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rose Belle: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Rose Belle. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Rose Belle – so Rose Belle 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 Rose Belle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Rose Belle, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $919 in Rose Belle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Rose Belle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rose Belle, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Rose Belle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rose Belle costs $612 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Rose Belle. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.