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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $861 in Negril, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Negril, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,842 in Negril, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Negril, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Negril are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Negril 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$7.30 JMD 1,156

-72.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$50.4 JMD 7,977

-63.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$8.96 JMD 1,418

-14.62%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$1.97 JMD 311

-2.54%

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

$0.84 ฿26.96

$1.35 JMD 214

-37.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.76 JMD 120

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.48 JMD 393

-11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.07 JMD 485

23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$4.19 JMD 663

-60.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$3.52 JMD 557

-53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.96

$1.61 JMD 254

-28.57%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.1

$3.47 JMD 548

-44.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.10 JMD 1,757

43.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$6.23 JMD 986

-50.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$7.73 JMD 1,223

43.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.7

$6.06 JMD 960

-55.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.77

$3.00 JMD 474

-60.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.6

$4.18 JMD 661

-59.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$3.04 JMD 482

-47.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.63

$2.10 JMD 333

-33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.78

$2.01 JMD 318

-42.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.81

$3.13 JMD 496

-77.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.63

$1.44 JMD 227

-61.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$9.02 JMD 1,428

-49.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.36 JMD 1,799

66.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.3

$2.78 JMD 440

-34.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.16 JMD 501

1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿605

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.27

$1.09 JMD 172

29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.68

$3.13 JMD 495

-58.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.14 JMD 972

33.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.27

$1.29 JMD 205

-4.65%

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

$21.2K ฿678.5K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-50.88%

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

$22.3K ฿714.9K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-33.51%

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

$69.9 ฿2,239

$164 JMD 26.0K

-57.43%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$22.52 JMD 3,564

-37.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$51.2 JMD 8,105

-65.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,327

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$12.95 JMD 2,050

-55.68%

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

$299 ฿9,587

$230 JMD 36.4K

30.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.9K

$2,512 JMD 397.6K

497.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,756

$25.57 JMD 4,047

114.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿844

$25.37 JMD 4,015

3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,712

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,234

$77.5 JMD 12.3K

-10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$1,011 JMD 160.0K

-57.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,713

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Negril: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $1,011 in Negril. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $50 in Negril. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $348 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Negril, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,292 in Negril. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Negril, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 in Negril. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Negril, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Chiang Mai at $872. In Negril it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negril costs $861 versus $872 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 Negril. 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.