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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $635 per month in Roi Et vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Roi Et vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,496 per month in Roi Et vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roi Et is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Roi Et and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roi Et 53% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿66.8

$1.94 ฿63.5

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 ฿494

$18.64 ฿609

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ฿133

$7.82 ฿255

-47.83%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.95 ฿63.8

-9.74%

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

$0.76 ฿24.96

$0.85 ฿27.77

-10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.71

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ฿49.12

$2.13 ฿69.6

-29.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ฿78.1

$3.73 ฿122

-35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.3

$1.71 ฿56.0

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ฿34.95

$1.63 ฿53.2

-34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 ฿92.2

$1.14 ฿37.15

147.37%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.2

$1.93 ฿63.1

14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.13 ฿527

$16.21 ฿530

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 ฿158

$3.12 ฿102

55.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 ฿347

$10.90 ฿356

-2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.20 ฿137

$2.75 ฿90.0

52.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.6

$1.21 ฿39.52

28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 ฿101

$1.62 ฿53.0

90.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.3

$1.59 ฿51.8

20.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ฿59.4

$1.40 ฿45.70

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 ฿26.04

$0.66 ฿21.60

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.74

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 ฿147

$4.69 ฿153

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 ฿494

$18.66 ฿609

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ฿69.9

$1.80 ฿58.8

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿92.6

$3.23 ฿106

-12.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.48

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.01

$1.41 ฿45.91

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.34

$1.29 ฿42.12

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 ฿202

$7.84 ฿256

-21.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ฿41.31

$1.27 ฿41.58

-0.79%

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

$28.1K ฿916.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

31.85%

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

$25.1K ฿820.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

13.05%

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

$51.6 ฿1,684

$69.1 ฿2,256

-25.34%

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

$13.49 ฿441

$14.08 ฿460

-4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.64 ฿478

$18.00 ฿588

-18.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.45 ฿1,256

$41.06 ฿1,341

-6.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 ฿405

$6.96 ฿227

78.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ฿240

$5.92 ฿193

24.16%

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

$304 ฿9,913

$299 ฿9,766

1.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿371.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.59 ฿1,228

$54.7 ฿1,787

-31.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 ฿1,149

$26.77 ฿874

31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 ฿1,769

$85.0 ฿2,776

-36.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.39 ฿1,613

$70.6 ฿2,306

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ฿13.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.2 ฿2,555

$237 ฿7,752

-67.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 ฿7,952

$801 ฿26.2K

-69.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 ฿8,478

$515 ฿16.8K

-49.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,310 ฿75.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

16.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,629 ฿53.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$932 ฿30.5K

$617 ฿20.2K

51.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Roi Et: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Roi Et 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.

Salaries run about 51% 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 $15.00 in Roi Et versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Roi Et vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 36% more than Roi Et, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $952 per month in Roi Et and $1,300 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 $15.00 in Roi Et and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $635 in Roi Et and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Roi Et costs $635 versus $866 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.