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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,245 per month in Roseau vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,117 per month in Roseau vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,989 per month in Roseau vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roseau costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roseau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roseau 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.23 EC$19.51

$2.08 ฿68.6

247.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 EC$148

$19.64 ฿646

178.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 EC$17.44

$5.65 ฿186

14.34%

Cappuccino

$4.20 EC$11.33

$1.81 ฿59.4

132.04%

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

$2.50 EC$6.75

$0.71 ฿23.45

252.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 EC$6.16

$0.32 ฿10.38

612.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 EC$4.86

$2.24 ฿73.6

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 EC$6.82

$3.63 ฿119

-30.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 EC$8.87

$1.96 ฿64.4

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 EC$5.56

$1.50 ฿49.39

37.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 EC$3.33

$1.34 ฿43.93

-8.21%

Eggs

$5.76 EC$15.55

$2.26 ฿74.5

154.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.36 EC$6.37

$16.26 ฿535

-85.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 EC$30.38

$2.95 ฿97.1

281.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 EC$36.04

$9.94 ฿327

34.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 EC$16.94

$2.57 ฿84.6

143.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 EC$6.46

$1.06 ฿34.73

125.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 EC$12.36

$1.61 ฿53.0

184.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 EC$14.09

$1.52 ฿49.97

243.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 EC$9.49

$1.27 ฿41.77

177.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 EC$8.11

$1.07 ฿35.06

181.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 EC$5.79

$0.72 ฿23.68

197.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 EC$6.94

$0.51 ฿16.72

403.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 EC$20.38

$4.19 ฿138

80.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 EC$29.51

$17.87 ฿587

-38.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 EC$7.20

$1.69 ฿55.7

57.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 EC$8.30

$2.84 ฿93.3

8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$0.93 ฿30.43

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 EC$143

$53.9 ฿1,771

-1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 EC$14.60

$1.23 ฿40.59

339.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 EC$7.79

$0.58 ฿18.96

396.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 EC$27.41

$2.42 ฿79.7

319.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 EC$3.91

$1.41 ฿46.43

2.84%

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

$35.0K EC$94.5K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

63.27%

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

$29.4K EC$79.4K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

7.62%

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

$141 EC$380

$63.7 ฿2,093

120.89%

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

$43.93 EC$119

$12.85 ฿423

241.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 EC$192

$20.22 ฿665

251.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 EC$123

$38.74 ฿1,274

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.64 EC$61.1

$3.97 ฿130

470.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 EC$22.53

$6.74 ฿222

23.74%

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

$130 EC$351

$778 ฿25.6K

-83.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 EC$12.2K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-69.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 EC$151

$54.3 ฿1,785

3.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 EC$100

$25.45 ฿837

45.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 EC$199

$94.3 ฿3,102

-21.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 EC$246

$73.4 ฿2,415

23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 EC$757

$490 ฿16.1K

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 EC$559

$289 ฿9,512

-28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 EC$2,409

$894 ฿29.4K

-0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 EC$1,727

$517 ฿17.0K

23.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$122 EC$328

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-93.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$57.8 EC$156

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-96.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 EC$1,316

$602 ฿19.8K

-19.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

5.57

36.45%

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

Last update for Roseau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Roseau versus $490 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 24% 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 $55.0 in Roseau versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $240 – 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

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

Roseau costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,868 per month in Roseau and $1,421 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.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Roseau and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Roseau, 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 $947, than in Roseau at $1,245. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roseau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,245 in Roseau. 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, Roseau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.