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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Roatan vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,980 per month in Roatan vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Roatan vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roatan costs about 43% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Roatan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roatan 9% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 HNL 197

$2.03 ฿68.4

262.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.22 HNL 1,076

$18.71 ฿630

114.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 HNL 238

$7.84 ฿264

13.39%

Cappuccino

$3.69 HNL 98.8

$1.93 ฿64.9

91.19%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.19

$0.83 ฿28.00

49.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 HNL 18.74

$0.35 ฿11.80

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 HNL 59.5

$2.22 ฿74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 HNL 110

$3.79 ฿128

8.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 HNL 34.79

$1.65 ฿55.4

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 HNL 86.7

$1.55 ฿52.3

109.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 HNL 57.3

$1.18 ฿39.79

81.36%

Eggs

$1.98 HNL 53.0

$2.01 ฿67.9

-1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 HNL 289

$16.16 ฿544

-33.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 HNL 181

$3.03 ฿102

123.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 HNL 481

$10.84 ฿365

65.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 HNL 30.11

$1.22 ฿41.14

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 HNL 29.10

$1.63 ฿54.8

-33.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 HNL 15.38

$1.53 ฿51.5

-62.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.56

$1.34 ฿45.10

-20.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.86

$1.21 ฿40.86

-10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.41

$0.70 ฿23.63

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 HNL 78.8

$0.53 ฿17.70

454.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 HNL 79.6

$4.69 ฿158

-36.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 HNL 202

$17.71 ฿597

-57.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 HNL 110

$3.21 ฿108

27.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 HNL 54.5

$1.41 ฿47.40

44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 HNL 265

$7.79 ฿262

27.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 HNL 28.10

$1.29 ฿43.59

-18.60%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

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

$30.3K HNL 809.8K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

39.58%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

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

$14.19 ฿478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.4 HNL 2,633

$17.42 ฿587

464.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 HNL 1,614

$41.64 ฿1,403

44.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

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

$425 HNL 11.4K

$300 ฿10.1K

41.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 HNL 110.1K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-71.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 HNL 1,073

$55.4 ฿1,865

-27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 HNL 540

$26.31 ฿886

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.47 HNL 1,056

$84.8 ฿2,858

-53.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 HNL 1,361

$70.5 ฿2,375

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 HNL 22.6K

$425 ฿14.3K

98.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 HNL 14.7K

$235 ฿7,919

133.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 HNL 19.8K

$802 ฿27.0K

-7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 HNL 33.4K

$516 ฿17.4K

141.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,873 HNL 50.1K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-2.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 HNL 35.7K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-7.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.2K

$586 ฿19.8K

-16.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

260.00%

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

Last update for Roatan: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Roatan versus $425 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.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Roatan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Roatan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roatan costs about 43% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Roatan and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. 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 $40.00 in Roatan and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Roatan, 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 $847, than in Roatan at $1,212. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roatan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,212 in Roatan. 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, Roatan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.