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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,130 per month in Rosarito vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,766 per month in Rosarito vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Rosarito vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rosarito costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rosarito and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rosarito 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$208

$1.94 ฿63.8

514.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.13 MX$544

$18.64 ฿611

67.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 MX$135

$7.82 ฿256

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$67.5

$1.95 ฿64.1

98.46%

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

$1.10 MX$19.21

$0.85 ฿27.90

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.97

$0.35 ฿11.64

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 MX$50.1

$2.13 ฿69.9

34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 MX$86.6

$3.73 ฿122

32.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.66

$1.71 ฿56.2

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.44

$1.63 ฿53.4

52.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.53

$1.14 ฿37.32

53.51%

Eggs

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.93 ฿63.4

67.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 MX$130

$16.21 ฿532

-54.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 MX$101

$3.12 ฿102

85.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MX$181

$10.90 ฿357

-4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 MX$45.28

$2.75 ฿90.4

-5.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.27

$1.21 ฿39.70

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.42

$1.62 ฿53.2

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.58

$1.59 ฿52.1

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.78

$1.40 ฿45.91

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.45

$1.17 ฿38.34

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MX$19.08

$0.66 ฿21.70

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MX$17.66

$0.53 ฿17.30

90.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MX$70.2

$4.69 ฿154

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.60 MX$150

$18.66 ฿612

-53.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.84

$1.80 ฿59.0

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$56.3

$3.23 ฿106

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.48

$0.90 ฿29.39

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 MX$47.69

$1.41 ฿46.13

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.74

$1.29 ฿42.31

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.9

$7.84 ฿257

-60.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.75

$1.27 ฿41.77

-1.57%

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

$23.6K MX$412.0K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

10.88%

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

$20.9K MX$365.2K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

-5.86%

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

$57.7 MX$1,008

$69.1 ฿2,266

-16.45%

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

$27.77 MX$485

$14.08 ฿462

97.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.84 MX$539

$18.00 ฿591

71.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.36 MX$618

$41.06 ฿1,347

-13.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 MX$279

$6.96 ฿228

129.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 MX$79.5

$5.92 ฿194

-23.14%

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

$203 MX$3,540

$299 ฿9,811

-32.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,719 MX$47.5K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-81.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.57 MX$761

$54.7 ฿1,795

-20.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.90 MX$609

$26.77 ฿878

30.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 MX$1,539

$85.0 ฿2,788

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 MX$1,210

$70.6 ฿2,316

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 MX$8,806

$428 ฿14.0K

17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,866

$237 ฿7,787

65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 MX$16.5K

$801 ฿26.3K

18.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MX$13.5K

$515 ฿16.9K

49.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,939 MX$33.9K

$1,975 ฿64.8K

-1.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 MX$22.6K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-12.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

136.00%

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

Last update for Rosarito: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $504 in Rosarito 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Rosarito versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Rosarito vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Rosarito 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

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

Rosarito costs about 30% 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 $1,694 per month in Rosarito 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 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 $31.00 in Rosarito 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 3% cheaper in Rosarito – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Rosarito at $1,130. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rosarito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,130 in Rosarito. 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, Rosarito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.