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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,659 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,261 in Rose Belle, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Rose Belle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Rose Belle 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.69 MUR 313

-69.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$22.93 MUR 1,074

-18.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.95 MUR 326

13.09%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.45 MUR 67.8

40.00%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.95 MUR 44.30

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.45 MUR 21.00

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.24 MUR 105

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.38 MUR 158

8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.69 MUR 79.2

2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.66 MUR 30.85

137.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.32 MUR 61.8

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.34 MUR 110

-15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.90 MUR 557

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.17 MUR 289

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.73 MUR 596

-15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.04 MUR 95.4

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.02 MUR 94.8

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.43 MUR 66.8

19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.72 MUR 128

-41.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.99 MUR 46.43

40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.01 MUR 47.29

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.78 MUR 36.53

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.81 MUR 38.01

-35.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.78 MUR 318

-31.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.67 MUR 406

105.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.81 MUR 84.8

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.18 MUR 102

53.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.05 MUR 49.05

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.28 MUR 200

-67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.65 MUR 124

-49.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$19.58 MUR 917

-58.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.46 MUR 68.5

-15.75%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-39.24%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-24.48%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$49.01 MUR 2,296

45.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$18.64 MUR 873

-24.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$34.08 MUR 1,596

-47.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$38.80 MUR 1,818

5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.98 MUR 280

-4.35%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$152 MUR 7,142

102.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,899 MUR 182.6K

276.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$83.8 MUR 3,924

-33.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$80.2 MUR 3,754

-67.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$133 MUR 6,215

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.2 MUR 4,458

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$510 MUR 23.9K

-17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$353 MUR 16.5K

-31.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$935 MUR 43.8K

-14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$711 MUR 33.3K

-28.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rose Belle: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $510 in Rose Belle. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Rose Belle. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $233 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

Rose Belle costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,587 in Rose Belle. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Rose Belle. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Rose Belle – 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 Rose Belle at $1,058. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rose Belle it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,058 in Rose Belle. 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, Rose Belle makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.