😐A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $436 in Port Said, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $700 in Port Said, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $964 in Port Said, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 99% more than Port Said, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Port Said are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai35% lower, Port Said68% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98฿64.3
$3.49E£178
-43.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.80฿612
$15.66E£800
20.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.75฿252
$4.63E£236
67.39%
Cappuccino
$1.92฿62.5
$1.44E£73.8
33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79฿25.79
$0.29E£14.57
172.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.62
$0.11E£5.53
227.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.16E£59.3
90.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$2.91E£149
25.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.65฿53.8
$0.58E£29.38
184.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.63฿53.2
$0.77E£39.50
111.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19฿38.86
$0.65E£33.24
83.08%
Eggs
$2.00฿65.1
$1.28E£65.2
56.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.98฿520
$1.51E£77.1
958.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.03฿98.5
$3.05E£156
-0.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86฿354
$8.25E£421
31.64%
Apples(1kg)
$2.76฿90.0
$1.36E£69.4
102.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18฿38.42
$0.54E£27.80
118.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64฿53.5
$0.43E£21.89
281.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.51
$0.39E£20.05
289.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38฿45.10
$0.41E£20.88
236.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19฿38.84
$0.40E£20.49
197.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70฿22.86
$0.17E£8.70
311.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.13
$0.18E£9.06
211.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.58฿149
$1.96E£99.9
133.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.56฿539
$5.81E£297
185.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.5
$1.42E£72.5
28.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20฿104
$2.59E£132
23.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿28.56
$0.20E£10.11
340.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.72฿610
$2.44E£125
667.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36฿44.16
$0.29E£14.63
368.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34฿43.65
$0.45E£23.02
197.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.84฿256
$1.94E£99.0
304.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23฿39.92
$0.27E£13.88
355.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K฿704.3K
$34.8KE£1.8M
-37.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿734.3K
$33.3KE£1.7M
-32.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.5฿2,298
$11.25E£574
527.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.68฿445
$5.75E£294
137.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.45฿568
$6.95E£355
151.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33฿1,346
$22.24E£1,136
85.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96฿227
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.77฿188
$3.04E£155
89.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$307฿10.0K
$36.32E£1,855
745.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6K฿475.9K
$582E£29.7K
2408.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.8฿1,817
$27.29E£1,394
104.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.21฿854
$49.48E£2,527
-47.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8฿2,793
$109E£5,558
-21.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.2฿2,353
$50.5E£2,581
42.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$430฿14.0K
$187E£9,563
129.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239฿7,774
$100E£5,128
137.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817฿26.6K
$315E£16.1K
159.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$511฿16.6K
$180E£9,176
184.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,983฿64.6K
$765E£39.1K
159.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,484฿48.3K
$407E£20.8K
264.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Port Said
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$619฿20.2K
$192E£9,795
222.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
17
-70.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Last update for Port Said: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $187 in Port Said. 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 223% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Port Said. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $108 – making Port Said 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 Said: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Port Said?
Chiang Mai costs about 99% more than Port Said, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Port Said?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $654 in Port Said. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Port Said?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Said, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Port Said?
Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $36.32 in Port Said. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Port Said?
Groceries cost about 123% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Port Said?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $436 in Port Said, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Port Said?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Said costs $436 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Port Said?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Port Said?
If budget matters most, go with Port Said. 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared