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 $1,218 per month in Roatan vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Roatan vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,797 per month in Roatan vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roatan costs about 40% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 204

$1.98 ฿64.9

286.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.35 HNL 1,049

$18.80 ฿618

109.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 HNL 236

$7.75 ฿255

14.19%

Cappuccino

$3.58 HNL 95.3

$1.92 ฿63.1

86.46%

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

$1.24 HNL 33.03

$0.79 ฿26.03

56.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 HNL 19.74

$0.36 ฿11.72

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 HNL 58.2

$2.21 ฿72.8

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 HNL 105

$3.66 ฿120

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 HNL 34.87

$1.65 ฿54.3

-20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 HNL 90.0

$1.63 ฿53.6

107.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 HNL 57.2

$1.19 ฿39.22

80.67%

Eggs

$2.03 HNL 54.2

$2.00 ฿65.7

1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 HNL 290

$15.98 ฿525

-31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 HNL 174

$3.03 ฿99.4

114.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 HNL 462

$10.86 ฿357

59.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 HNL 29.59

$1.18 ฿38.77

-5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.70

$1.64 ฿54.0

-34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 HNL 15.10

$1.52 ฿49.97

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 HNL 28.53

$1.38 ฿45.52

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 HNL 28.74

$1.19 ฿39.19

-9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 HNL 27.10

$0.70 ฿23.08

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 HNL 81.9

$0.56 ฿18.30

448.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 HNL 79.6

$4.58 ฿150

-34.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 HNL 207

$16.56 ฿544

-53.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 HNL 109

$3.20 ฿105

27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 HNL 52.5

$1.36 ฿44.57

44.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 HNL 268

$7.84 ฿258

28.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 HNL 28.27

$1.23 ฿40.29

-13.82%

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

$21.6K ฿710.8K

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

$30.6K HNL 814.4K

$22.5K ฿741.1K

35.51%

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

$70.5 ฿2,319

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

$13.68 ฿450

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 HNL 2,698

$17.45 ฿574

480.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 HNL 1,603

$41.33 ฿1,359

45.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

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

$422 HNL 11.3K

$307 ฿10.1K

37.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,238 HNL 113.0K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-70.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.47 HNL 1,052

$55.8 ฿1,834

-29.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.91 HNL 531

$26.21 ฿861

-24.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.64 HNL 1,057

$85.8 ฿2,819

-53.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 HNL 1,342

$72.2 ฿2,375

-30.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 HNL 22.9K

$430 ฿14.1K

100.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 HNL 14.8K

$239 ฿7,845

133.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 HNL 19.3K

$817 ฿26.9K

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 HNL 33.7K

$511 ฿16.8K

147.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 HNL 50.1K

$1,983 ฿65.2K

-5.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,346 HNL 35.9K

$1,484 ฿48.8K

-9.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 HNL 13.1K

$619 ฿20.3K

-20.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Roatan versus $430 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 26% 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 $39.00 in Roatan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $241 – 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 40% 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 $1,827 per month in Roatan and $1,303 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 $39.00 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 10% 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 $869, than in Roatan at $1,218. 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 $869 versus $1,218 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.