Cost of Living Comparison Between Roi Et and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Roi Et and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $902 per month in Roi Et vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,477 per month in Roi Et vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,053 per month in Roi Et vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roi Et is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Roi Et and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roi Et 35% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿67.3

$2.10 ฿69.5

-3.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.08 ฿599

$19.84 ฿657

-8.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 ฿241

$5.79 ฿192

25.91%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ฿67.7

$1.83 ฿60.6

11.48%

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

$0.74 ฿24.64

$0.78 ฿25.67

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ฿8.53

$0.31 ฿10.40

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 ฿72.1

$2.34 ฿77.4

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ฿99.1

$3.70 ฿123

-19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿54.5

$2.03 ฿67.2

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 ฿50.5

$1.60 ฿52.9

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.35

$1.42 ฿46.87

-16.20%

Eggs

$2.06 ฿68.2

$2.18 ฿72.1

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.18 ฿536

$15.91 ฿527

1.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$3.07 ฿102

-30.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 ฿301

$9.87 ฿327

-7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿103

$2.63 ฿87.0

17.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.35

$1.10 ฿36.28

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ฿61.7

$1.63 ฿54.0

14.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.9

$1.53 ฿50.7

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.32

$1.24 ฿41.23

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ฿30.94

$1.13 ฿37.46

-17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.27

$0.74 ฿24.44

48.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.27

$0.50 ฿16.52

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 ฿159

$4.28 ฿142

12.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 ฿498

$17.97 ฿595

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.1

$1.70 ฿56.2

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿92.9

$2.90 ฿95.9

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ฿34.42

$0.94 ฿31.20

10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,831

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ฿37.99

$1.23 ฿40.86

-6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.31

$0.53 ฿17.70

124.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 ฿132

$2.40 ฿79.5

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ฿39.56

$1.44 ฿47.67

-17.36%

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

$24.1K ฿799.8K

$21.2K ฿701.9K

13.94%

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

$27.7K ฿916.8K

$27.3K ฿904.3K

1.37%

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

$83.4 ฿2,763

$64.9 ฿2,150

28.46%

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

$12.07 ฿400

$13.35 ฿442

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.62 ฿650

$20.83 ฿690

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 ฿1,601

$40.42 ฿1,339

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.46 ฿446

$3.95 ฿131

240.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 ฿243

$6.71 ฿222

9.24%

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

$517 ฿17.1K

$787 ฿26.1K

-34.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K ฿366.2K

$15.1K ฿500.8K

-26.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ฿2,280

$56.2 ฿1,862

22.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 ฿1,012

$24.95 ฿826

22.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ฿2,019

$92.7 ฿3,070

-34.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 ฿2,508

$75.1 ฿2,488

0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.8K

$484 ฿16.0K

-7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ฿10.0K

$287 ฿9,514

5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ฿47.3K

$910 ฿30.1K

57.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 ฿24.5K

$531 ฿17.6K

39.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,847 ฿61.2K

$1,980 ฿65.6K

-6.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿53.0K

$1,451 ฿48.1K

10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$930 ฿30.8K

$605 ฿20.0K

53.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Roi Et: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Roi Et versus $484 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 54% higher in Roi Et, 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 $18.00 in Roi Et versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $242 – making Roi Et 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

Roi Et vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Roi Et, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,352 per month in Roi Et and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roi Et, 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 $18.00 in Roi Et and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roi Et, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Roi Et it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Roi Et costs $902 versus $950 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 Roi Et. 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.