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 $1,246 per month in Roseau vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,072 per month in Roseau vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,899 per month in Roseau vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Roseau costs about 45% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roseau and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Roseau 7% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 EC$20.32

$1.96 ฿65.8

284.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 EC$151

$18.35 ฿617

204.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 EC$18.31

$7.48 ฿252

-9.36%

Cappuccino

$4.19 EC$11.31

$2.02 ฿67.8

107.43%

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

$2.42 EC$6.52

$0.85 ฿28.50

184.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 EC$6.16

$0.36 ฿11.96

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 EC$5.11

$2.14 ฿71.8

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 EC$7.05

$3.59 ฿121

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.00 EC$8.09

$1.65 ฿55.5

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 EC$4.49

$1.57 ฿52.7

5.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 EC$2.63

$1.19 ฿40.02

-18.49%

Eggs

$5.56 EC$15.02

$1.94 ฿65.1

186.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.27 EC$6.13

$16.19 ฿544

-85.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 EC$28.38

$2.99 ฿101

251.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 EC$32.84

$10.94 ฿368

11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$6.16 EC$16.63

$2.71 ฿91.2

127.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 EC$6.01

$1.17 ฿39.25

90.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.82 EC$13.00

$1.69 ฿56.7

185.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 EC$13.94

$1.60 ฿54.0

222.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 EC$8.77

$1.38 ฿46.54

135.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 EC$8.13

$1.20 ฿40.45

150.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 EC$5.77

$0.67 ฿22.50

219.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 EC$7.84

$0.56 ฿18.73

417.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$11.26 EC$30.41

$17.62 ฿593

-36.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 EC$7.33

$1.86 ฿62.5

45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 EC$7.96

$3.30 ฿111

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 EC$85.6

$19.34 ฿650

63.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$1.36 ฿45.90

165.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.78 EC$10.20

$1.34 ฿44.98

182.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 EC$27.17

$8.21 ฿276

22.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 EC$3.46

$1.22 ฿41.18

4.92%

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

$33.2K EC$89.8K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

55.70%

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

$29.3K EC$79.0K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

29.94%

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

$140 EC$378

$70.7 ฿2,376

97.93%

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

$42.21 EC$114

$14.04 ฿472

200.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 EC$151

$17.49 ฿588

219.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.14 EC$125

$42.15 ฿1,417

9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.85 EC$61.7

$6.88 ฿231

232.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 EC$22.68

$5.92 ฿199

41.89%

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

$110 EC$296

$309 ฿10.4K

-64.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 EC$9,076

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-77.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 EC$212

$55.8 ฿1,875

40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.89 EC$127

$26.11 ฿878

79.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 EC$271

$83.0 ฿2,792

20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 EC$247

$70.5 ฿2,369

29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 EC$756

$432 ฿14.5K

-35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 EC$553

$239 ฿8,035

-14.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 EC$2,383

$822 ฿27.7K

7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 EC$1,686

$512 ฿17.2K

21.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$125 EC$339

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-93.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$57.3 EC$155

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-96.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 EC$1,291

$579 ฿19.5K

-17.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

52.00%

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

Last update for Roseau: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Roseau versus $432 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 21% 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 $56.0 in Roseau versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $243 – 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 45% 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 $1,869 per month in Roseau and $1,292 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 $110 per month in Roseau and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $861, than in Roseau at $1,246. 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 $861 versus $1,246 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.