Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roxas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Roxas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $621 in Roxas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $977 in Roxas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,333 in Roxas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Roxas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Roxas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Roxas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.73 ₱169

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$20.98 ₱1,294

-10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.51 ₱216

125.64%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.96 ₱121

-2.55%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.57 ₱35.23

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.17 ₱10.65

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.94 ₱58.2

135.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.81 ₱112

109.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.18 ₱72.8

38.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.11 ₱68.2

45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.85 ₱52.5

38.82%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.27 ₱140

-11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.00 ₱370

164.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$1.94 ₱120

55.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$6.87 ₱423

56.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.30 ₱80.3

100.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.18 ₱73.0

3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.45 ₱89.4

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.17 ₱72.0

35.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.05 ₱64.7

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.81 ₱50.1

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.11 ₱68.5

-39.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.42 ₱25.94

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.96 ₱182

53.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.31 ₱512

119.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.25 ₱77.2

46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.39 ₱85.9

132.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.26 ₱16.00

242.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.68 ₱41.91

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.24 ₱14.82

462.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.65 ₱163

211.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.09 ₱67.1

16.51%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$24.3K ₱1.5M

-12.90%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

15.70%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$66.6 ₱4,108

5.35%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.97 ₱553

53.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$28.72 ₱1,772

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$33.41 ₱2,061

24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.30 ₱265

53.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.20 ₱321

11.15%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$35.53 ₱2,191

761.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,274 ₱263.6K

246.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.05 ₱2,779

20.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.27 ₱1,435

12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$62.0 ₱3,826

36.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$26.78 ₱1,652

159.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$360 ₱22.2K

17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$175 ₱10.8K

36.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$583 ₱36.0K

41.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$397 ₱24.5K

29.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,089 ₱128.9K

-1.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$598 ₱36.9K

6.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Roxas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $360 in Roxas. 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 6% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $21.00 in Roxas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $149 in Roxas – so Roxas 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 Roxas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Roxas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $932 in Roxas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roxas, 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 $21.00 in Roxas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $621 in Roxas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Roxas costs $621 versus $852 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 Roxas. 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.