Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rosh HaAyin

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,919 in Rosh HaAyin, rent and utilities included – about $23,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Rosh HaAyin
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Rosh HaAyin Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Rosh HaAyin

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,919

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Rosh HaAyin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Rosh HaAyin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,919 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Rosh HaAyin $2,919

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,429 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Rosh HaAyin $4,429

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $5,939 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Rosh HaAyin $5,939

Chiang Mai is about 68% cheaper than Rosh HaAyin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Rosh HaAyin is 116% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$37.50 ₪117

-93.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$139 ₪433

-86.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$27.18 ₪84.6

-79.43%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$5.78 ₪17.98

-70.24%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$3.26 ₪10.16

-80.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$3.33 ₪10.36

-90.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$10.12 ₪31.49

-76.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$11.27 ₪35.05

-65.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.66 ₪8.27

-22.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.99 ₪6.20

-29.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$3.20 ₪9.95

-60.00%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$5.35 ₪16.65

-57.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$16.24 ₪50.5

-83.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$19.91 ₪61.9

-52.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$5.43 ₪16.90

-55.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$4.65 ₪14.48

-78.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$3.23 ₪10.04

-50.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.83 ₪11.91

-60.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$3.28 ₪10.21

-60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$2.38 ₪7.40

-53.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$4.19 ₪13.04

-82.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$1.48 ₪4.60

-64.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$10.91 ₪33.95

-60.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$16.49 ₪51.3

7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$3.55 ₪11.04

-54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.84 ₪8.82

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$2.35 ₪7.30

-63.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$87.7 ₪273

-38.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$2.66 ₪8.29

-45.49%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$59.1K ₪183.8K

-65.34%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$60.6K ₪188.4K

-56.22%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$651 ₪2,026

-90.43%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$12.71 ₪39.53

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$40.78 ₪127

-51.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$82.9 ₪258

-54.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$16.55 ₪51.5

-59.46%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,365 ₪4,245

-41.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$113 ₪351

-52.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$129 ₪401

-80.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$145 ₪450

-36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$964 ₪2,999

-51.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$863 ₪2,686

-64.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$1,881 ₪5,853

-51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$1,636 ₪5,089

-66.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$10.3K ₪32.0K

-81.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$5,755 ₪17.9K

-75.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$3,310 ₪10.3K

-82.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.87

-5.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rosh HaAyin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Rosh HaAyin

$863 29.6% 183% $559

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Rosh HaAyin

$414 * 14.2% 74.1% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Rosh HaAyin

$174 * 6% 58.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Rosh HaAyin

$705 24.1% 645% $610

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Rosh HaAyin

$550 18.9% 597% $471

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Rosh HaAyin

$97 * 3.3% 58.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Rosh HaAyin

$116 4% 126% $65

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $964 in Rosh HaAyin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 456% higher in Rosh HaAyin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $139 in Rosh HaAyin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $414 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇱 Rosh HaAyin

🕒 Local time

00:56 12:56 AM

20:56 8:56 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

72,881

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Rosh HaAyin 6,510 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rosh HaAyin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rosh HaAyin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rosh HaAyin costs about 211% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $4,379 in Rosh HaAyin. 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.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,365 in Rosh HaAyin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Rosh HaAyin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Rosh HaAyin at $2,919. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rosh HaAyin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $2,919 in Rosh HaAyin. 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, Rosh HaAyin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.