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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,068 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,299 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,529 in Port-au-Prince, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 59% cheaper than Port-au-Prince, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 37% below the global median, while Port-au-Prince is 55% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$12.15 HTG 1,586

-83.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$89.5 HTG 11.7K

-79.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$11.53 HTG 1,504

-32.00%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$1.61 HTG 211

19.88%

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

$0.83 ฿28.01

$2.02 HTG 264

-58.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.81

$1.49 HTG 194

-76.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$5.07 HTG 662

-56.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$7.04 HTG 918

-46.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.51 HTG 198

9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$2.47 HTG 322

-37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.82

$2.92 HTG 381

-59.59%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$2.72 HTG 355

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$9.80 HTG 1,279

64.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$15.18 HTG 1,981

-80.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$11.94 HTG 1,558

-9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$4.92 HTG 643

-45.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.16

$1.18 HTG 153

3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$1.02 HTG 133

59.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.98 HTG 128

56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.13

$4.98 HTG 650

-73.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$2.88 HTG 376

-57.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.65

$0.99 HTG 129

-29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.71

$1.13 HTG 147

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$1.96 HTG 255

139.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$15.46 HTG 2,017

14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$1.76 HTG 230

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.91 HTG 250

68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.03

$0.22 HTG 29.16

304.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

$20.24 HTG 2,641

-7.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.43

$0.36 HTG 47.25

291.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.54

$0.41 HTG 54.0

214.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$19.89 HTG 2,595

-60.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.61

$1.15 HTG 150

12.17%

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

$21.8K ฿733.8K

$34.5K HTG 4.5M

-36.98%

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

$21.7K ฿731.2K

$44.6K HTG 5.8M

-51.33%

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

$70.0 ฿2,359

$99.4 HTG 13.0K

-29.60%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$49.52 HTG 6,461

-71.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$168 HTG 21.9K

-89.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,404

$69.6 HTG 9,087

-40.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

$20.15 HTG 2,629

-65.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$9.96 HTG 1,300

-41.97%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$98.2 HTG 12.8K

205.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.5K

$6,739 HTG 879.4K

115.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,866

$79.8 HTG 10.4K

-30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿887

$73.6 HTG 9,607

-64.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,860

$121 HTG 15.8K

-30.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,376

$149 HTG 19.4K

-52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$926 HTG 120.8K

-54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,924

$904 HTG 118.0K

-74.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$2,159 HTG 281.8K

-62.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$1,828 HTG 238.6K

-71.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$1,724 HTG 224.9K

11.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,523 HTG 198.7K

-4.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Port-au-Prince: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $926 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 $89.0 in Port-au-Prince. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $326 – 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 144% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,103 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $98.2 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 34% 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 $847, than in Port-au-Prince at $2,068. 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 $847 versus $2,068 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.