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 $1,067 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Rose Belle, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,268 in Rose Belle, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.61 MUR 309

-70.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.22 MUR 1,086

-18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.98 MUR 326

13.47%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.42 MUR 66.4

34.51%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.98 MUR 45.82

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.41 MUR 19.20

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.23 MUR 104

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.33 MUR 156

14.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.65 MUR 77.2

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.70 MUR 32.91

131.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.34 MUR 62.6

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.35 MUR 110

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.66 MUR 546

36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.22 MUR 291

-51.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$12.57 MUR 588

-14.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.01 MUR 93.9

29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.04 MUR 95.3

-40.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.45 MUR 67.6

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.65 MUR 124

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.03 MUR 48.32

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.92 MUR 43.12

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.79 MUR 37.07

-15.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.81 MUR 38.00

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.72 MUR 315

-32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.37 MUR 392

117.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.72 MUR 80.4

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.18 MUR 102

48.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.01 MUR 47.10

-11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.50 MUR 211

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.69 MUR 126

-49.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$19.63 MUR 919

-57.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.45 MUR 68.0

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-40.39%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-21.13%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$49.32 MUR 2,308

42.23%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$18.12 MUR 848

-24.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$33.44 MUR 1,564

-47.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.32 MUR 1,793

8.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.12 MUR 286

-5.56%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$152 MUR 7,131

100.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,029 MUR 188.5K

267.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$86.9 MUR 4,064

-37.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$78.9 MUR 3,691

-66.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$133 MUR 6,204

-36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$95.5 MUR 4,467

-27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$513 MUR 24.0K

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$357 MUR 16.7K

-33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$967 MUR 45.3K

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$714 MUR 33.4K

-27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rose Belle: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $513 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $231 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 25% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,601 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 $1,067. 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 $1,067 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.