Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port-au-Prince Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port-au-Prince

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,035 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,233 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,430 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Port-au-Prince, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Port-au-Prince is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$12.07 HTG 1,574

-83.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$87.6 HTG 11.4K

-78.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$11.53 HTG 1,503

-32.18%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.68 HTG 218

16.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.03 HTG 264

-58.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.47 HTG 192

-76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$4.87 HTG 635

-56.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.03 HTG 917

-46.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.49 HTG 194

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.46 HTG 321

-33.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.95 HTG 384

-61.36%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.81 HTG 367

-31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.04 HTG 1,309

61.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$15.30 HTG 1,995

-79.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.97 HTG 1,560

-8.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$5.09 HTG 664

-45.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.23 HTG 161

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 HTG 133

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.97 HTG 127

63.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$4.86 HTG 634

-71.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.77 HTG 361

-57.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.97 HTG 127

-31.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.12 HTG 146

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.95 HTG 254

140.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$14.98 HTG 1,953

24.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.71 HTG 223

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.96 HTG 256

64.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.19 HTG 24.49

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$20.32 HTG 2,649

-5.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.37 HTG 48.09

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.38 HTG 50.2

239.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.08 HTG 2,619

-60.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.11 HTG 145

14.41%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.5K HTG 4.5M

-38.36%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$45.6K HTG 5.9M

-51.30%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$99.0 HTG 12.9K

-30.25%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$50.2 HTG 6,538

-71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$165 HTG 21.5K

-89.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$69.4 HTG 9,045

-40.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.87 HTG 2,591

-64.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.80 HTG 1,278

-39.59%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$98.8 HTG 12.9K

202.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,914 HTG 901.4K

116.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$79.8 HTG 10.4K

-31.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$74.2 HTG 9,668

-63.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$122 HTG 15.9K

-30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$149 HTG 19.5K

-52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$893 HTG 116.5K

-52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$879 HTG 114.6K

-73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,126 HTG 277.2K

-62.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$1,849 HTG 241.0K

-72.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,731 HTG 225.7K

14.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,498 HTG 195.3K

-1.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port-au-Prince: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $893 in Port-au-Prince. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $88.0 in Port-au-Prince. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $327 – 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 Port-au-Prince: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port-au-Prince costs about 135% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,053 in Port-au-Prince. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $98.8 in Port-au-Prince. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Port-au-Prince, 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 $866, than in Port-au-Prince at $2,035. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port-au-Prince it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $2,035 in Port-au-Prince. 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, Port-au-Prince makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.