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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,657 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,254 in Rose Belle, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Rose Belle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Rose Belle are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rose Belle 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.45 MUR 304

-69.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.27 MUR 1,096

-19.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.20 MUR 339

7.64%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.41 MUR 66.4

36.17%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.03 MUR 48.68

-23.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.44 MUR 20.78

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.17 MUR 102

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.27 MUR 154

11.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.62 MUR 76.4

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.65 MUR 30.46

150.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.28 MUR 60.4

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.32 MUR 109

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.78 MUR 555

35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.12 MUR 288

-50.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.60 MUR 593

-13.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.97 MUR 92.8

40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.95 MUR 91.8

-39.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.45 MUR 68.1

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.66 MUR 125

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 MUR 46.71

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.01 MUR 47.39

17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.80 MUR 37.80

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.76 MUR 35.70

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.53 MUR 308

-29.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.18 MUR 385

102.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.81 MUR 85.3

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.15 MUR 101

48.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.04 MUR 49.15

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$4.39 MUR 207

-69.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.70 MUR 127

-50.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.15 MUR 949

-61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MUR 68.1

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-39.95%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-20.38%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$50.3 MUR 2,368

40.29%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$18.24 MUR 859

-25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$33.08 MUR 1,558

-47.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$38.13 MUR 1,796

8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.13 MUR 289

-5.87%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$155 MUR 7,283

98.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,904 MUR 183.8K

274.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$86.5 MUR 4,074

-35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$80.8 MUR 3,806

-67.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$130 MUR 6,116

-33.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$94.8 MUR 4,465

-23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$517 MUR 24.3K

-16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$351 MUR 16.5K

-32.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$960 MUR 45.2K

-14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$718 MUR 33.8K

-28.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rose Belle: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $517 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $228 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 22% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,590 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 $869, than in Rose Belle at $1,060. 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 $869 versus $1,060 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.