Cost of Living Comparison Between Rรขศ™nov and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Rรขศ™nov and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Rรขศ™nov vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in Rรขศ™nov vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Rรขศ™nov vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rรขศ™nov costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rรขศ™nov and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median โ€“ Rรขศ™nov 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.77 RONย 39.51
$1.96 เธฟ63.6
347.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.89 RONย 180
$18.39 เธฟ598
116.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.99 RONย 35.98
$7.87 เธฟ256
1.52%
Cappuccino
$2.30 RONย 10.38
$1.95 เธฟ63.4
17.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 RONย 5.67
$0.85 เธฟ27.57
48.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 RONย 5.16
$0.32 เธฟ10.52
259.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 RONย 10.11
$2.14 เธฟ69.6
4.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 RONย 12.48
$3.68 เธฟ120
-24.73%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 RONย 7.00
$1.66 เธฟ53.9
-6.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 RONย 5.47
$1.56 เธฟ50.7
-22.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 RONย 7.04
$1.19 เธฟ38.63
31.09%
Eggs
$3.02 RONย 13.61
$1.99 เธฟ64.7
51.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.72 RONย 39.25
$16.24 เธฟ528
-46.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.21 RONย 32.46
$3.17 เธฟ103
127.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.17 RONย 54.8
$10.84 เธฟ352
12.27%
Apples (1kg)
$0.98 RONย 4.41
$2.65 เธฟ86.2
-63.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 RONย 6.16
$1.22 เธฟ39.67
12.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 RONย 6.91
$1.65 เธฟ53.7
-7.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.02 RONย 9.09
$1.55 เธฟ50.3
30.32%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 RONย 4.25
$1.33 เธฟ43.17
-29.32%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 RONย 4.19
$1.21 เธฟ39.43
-23.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 RONย 3.32
$0.68 เธฟ22.04
8.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 RONย 3.34
$0.57 เธฟ18.38
29.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.77 RONย 25.97
$4.68 เธฟ152
23.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.55 RONย 34.00
$16.99 เธฟ552
-55.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 RONย 4.65
$1.82 เธฟ59.3
-43.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 RONย 7.55
$3.18 เธฟ103
-47.17%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 RONย 3.23
$0.91 เธฟ29.46
-20.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.03 RONย 90.2
$18.74 เธฟ609
6.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.72 RONย 3.23
$1.41 เธฟ45.80
-48.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 RONย 2.91
$1.34 เธฟ43.52
-51.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.94 RONย 31.23
$8.14 เธฟ265
-14.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.64 RONย 7.38
$1.28 เธฟ41.53
28.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K RONย 126.5K
$21.8K เธฟ709.3K
28.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K RONย 126.2K
$22.4K เธฟ728.0K
25.14%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 RONย 735
$70.5 เธฟ2,291
131.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.16 RONย 36.75
$14.05 เธฟ457
-41.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.08 RONย 40.91
$17.65 เธฟ574
-48.56%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 RONย 189
$41.29 เธฟ1,342
1.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.43 RONย 87.5
$6.76 เธฟ220
187.43%
Cinema Ticket
$5.72 RONย 25.74
$5.96 เธฟ194
-4.03%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$450 RONย 2,025
$303 เธฟ9,846
48.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,496 RONย 29.3K
$15.0K เธฟ486.2K
-56.57%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.2 RONย 325
$54.7 เธฟ1,778
32.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.27 RONย 190
$26.29 เธฟ854
60.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.0 RONย 428
$85.8 เธฟ2,788
10.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.9 RONย 360
$69.7 เธฟ2,265
14.62%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$387 RONย 1,743
$428 เธฟ13.9K
-9.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$285 RONย 1,283
$239 เธฟ7,769
19.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$577 RONย 2,598
$811 เธฟ26.4K
-28.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$440 RONย 1,983
$510 เธฟ16.6K
-13.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,903 RONย 8,572
$2,025 เธฟ65.8K
-6.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,373 RONย 6,182
$1,502 เธฟ48.8K
-8.62%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Rรขศ™nov
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$623 เธฟ20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.7
5
54.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rรขศ™nov: June 16, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Rรขศ™nov versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 $40.00 in Rรขศ™nov versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story โ€“ $214 in Rรขศ™nov vs $242 in Chiang Mai โ€“ so Rรขศ™nov 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
Rรขศ™nov vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
Rรขศ™nov costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Rรขศ™nov vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,566 per month in Rรขศ™nov and $1,272 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Rรขศ™nov and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Rรขศ™nov and $303 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Rรขศ™nov โ€“ one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably โ€“ all-in costs are $1,044 in Rรขศ™nov and $848 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,044 in Rรขศ™nov. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Rรขศ™nov compared to Chiang Mai?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Rรขศ™nov or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rรขศ™nov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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