Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roi Et and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Roi Et: $911 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $290 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

44

Cost of Living Index in Roi Et
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Roi Et Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Roi Et

🇹🇭 Thailand

$911

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Roi Et and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Roi Et and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $911 per month in Roi Et vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roi Et $911
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $1,441 per month in Roi Et vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roi Et $1,441
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $1,971 per month in Roi Et vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roi Et $1,971
Chiang Mai $1,999

Roi Et is about 3% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Roi Et and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roi Et 33% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿65.9

$2.13 ฿72.0

-8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.98 ฿607

$18.62 ฿628

-3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ฿225

$5.60 ฿189

18.93%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ฿64.0

$1.66 ฿56.1

14.46%

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

$0.73 ฿24.51

$0.65 ฿21.83

12.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ฿9.53

$0.30 ฿10.29

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ฿71.1

$2.32 ฿78.4

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ฿101

$3.67 ฿124

-18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ฿54.3

$2.02 ฿68.0

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ฿50.1

$1.41 ฿47.51

4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.25

$1.39 ฿46.96

-12.23%

Eggs

$1.96 ฿66.1

$2.37 ฿79.9

-17.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 ฿556

$16.52 ฿557

-0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.8

$2.67 ฿90.1

-20.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 ฿378

$9.02 ฿304

24.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ฿100

$2.40 ฿80.9

23.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.42

$1.04 ฿35.13

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ฿59.2

$1.66 ฿56.0

5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.49

$1.24 ฿41.76

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.76

$1.09 ฿36.66

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ฿35.80

$0.76 ฿25.70

39.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.18

$0.51 ฿17.35

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿152

$4.12 ฿139

9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 ฿507

$17.93 ฿605

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ฿53.7

$1.62 ฿54.8

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿94.0

$2.82 ฿95.2

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.34

$0.93 ฿31.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿36.86

$1.18 ฿39.70

-7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ฿39.52

$0.17 ฿5.79

588.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ฿166

$1.81 ฿61.1

171.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ฿40.85

$1.47 ฿49.69

-17.69%

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

$29.7K ฿1.0M

$21.0K ฿708.9K

41.50%

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

$26.4K ฿891.0K

$26.5K ฿894.6K

-0.41%

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

$81.8 ฿2,759

$62.6 ฿2,111

30.71%

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

$11.18 ฿377

$11.60 ฿392

-3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.85 ฿636

$20.30 ฿685

-7.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ฿1,683

$37.88 ฿1,278

31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 ฿495

$3.70 ฿125

296.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 ฿244

$6.51 ฿220

10.91%

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

$533 ฿18.0K

$727 ฿24.5K

-26.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿492.9K

$16.6K ฿559.2K

-11.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.77 ฿1,679

$53.5 ฿1,807

-7.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.93 ฿875

$24.80 ฿837

4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.6 ฿2,011

$90.4 ฿3,050

-34.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 ฿2,526

$72.0 ฿2,428

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿15.1K

$481 ฿16.2K

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ฿10.7K

$310 ฿10.5K

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 ฿42.1K

$1,058 ฿35.7K

17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 ฿23.8K

$659 ฿22.2K

7.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 ฿69.1K

$2,418 ฿81.6K

-15.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,797 ฿60.6K

$1,609 ฿54.3K

11.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$892 ฿30.1K

$595 ฿20.1K

49.91%

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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Roi Et

$318 34.9%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 2.5% $7.8

Groceries & Markets

Roi Et

$233 25.6%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 1.6% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Roi Et

$112 12.3%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 15.5% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Roi Et

$95 10.4%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 14.5% $14

Eating Out

Roi Et

$79 8.7%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 3% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Roi Et

$64 7.1%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 20.8% $13

Getting Around

Roi Et

$11 * 1.2%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 450% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Roi Et versus $481 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 50% 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 in Roi Et versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $237 – making Roi Et the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Roi Et

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

23:34 11:34 PM

Same time as Roi Et

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,229

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Roi Et Chiang Mai 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Roi Et
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 3% more than Roi Et, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,366 per month in Roi Et and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $448 in Roi Et and $481 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $911 in Roi Et and $935 in Chiang Mai. That makes Roi Et about 3% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Roi Et and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $911 in Roi Et and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Roi Et – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.