Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port Mathurin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Port Mathurin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $966 in Port Mathurin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,587 in Port Mathurin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,209 in Port Mathurin, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Port Mathurin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Port Mathurin are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Port Mathurin 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$6.50 MUR 304

-69.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$44.18 MUR 2,065

-57.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.50 MUR 304

21.85%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.57 MUR 120

-25.68%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.03 MUR 48.09

-18.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.57 MUR 26.53

-38.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.08 MUR 97.2

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.78 MUR 130

36.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.44 MUR 67.6

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.70 MUR 32.73

131.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.31 MUR 61.3

-9.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$2.35 MUR 110

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$9.71 MUR 454

63.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.36 MUR 297

-52.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$10.46 MUR 489

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.01 MUR 93.8

29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.98 MUR 92.5

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.50 MUR 70.3

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$2.61 MUR 122

-39.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.98 MUR 46.01

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.99 MUR 46.09

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.84 MUR 39.44

-20.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.54 MUR 25.08

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$5.93 MUR 277

-23.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$9.32 MUR 436

95.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.78 MUR 83.1

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.19 MUR 102

47.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$1.01 MUR 47.11

-11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$4.41 MUR 206

-69.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$2.61 MUR 122

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$15.20 MUR 711

-45.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.46 MUR 68.4

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-40.64%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

-23.37%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$49.07 MUR 2,294

42.96%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$18.38 MUR 859

-25.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$32.01 MUR 1,497

-45.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$38.21 MUR 1,786

8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.03 MUR 282

-4.15%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$151 MUR 7,073

102.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$4,007 MUR 187.3K

270.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$49.99 MUR 2,337

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$44.42 MUR 2,077

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$81.0 MUR 3,785

4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$77.8 MUR 3,638

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$512 MUR 23.9K

-17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$345 MUR 16.1K

-30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$966 MUR 45.2K

-14.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$725 MUR 33.9K

-28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

-20.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Port Mathurin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $512 in Port Mathurin. 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 $44.00 in Port Mathurin. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Port Mathurin – so Port Mathurin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mathurin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Mathurin costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,449 in Port Mathurin. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Port Mathurin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Port Mathurin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Port Mathurin at $966. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Mathurin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $966 in Port Mathurin. 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 Mathurin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.