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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,243 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,094 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,944 in Portmore, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Portmore 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$10.22 JMD 1,602

-79.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$62.2 JMD 9,744

-68.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.98 JMD 1,408

-36.86%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$5.19 JMD 814

-65.13%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.92 JMD 144

-16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.65 JMD 102

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.17 JMD 341

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.18 JMD 341

73.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$3.10 JMD 486

-33.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.55 JMD 556

-57.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.00 JMD 156

40.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.48 JMD 545

-35.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.36 JMD 1,780

42.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.46 JMD 1,012

-55.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$9.35 JMD 1,465

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$6.05 JMD 948

-55.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$3.94 JMD 618

-72.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.93 JMD 460

-44.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$3.00 JMD 470

-51.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$3.18 JMD 498

-59.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$2.60 JMD 407

-59.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.57 JMD 247

-54.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.24 JMD 195

-57.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.26 JMD 1,451

-54.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.47 JMD 1,797

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.93 JMD 459

-44.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.16 JMD 338

34.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$2.35 JMD 368

-62.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$51.3 JMD 8,042

4.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.99 JMD 156

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$3.23 JMD 506

-82.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.21 JMD 973

-61.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.27 JMD 199

14.17%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-53.25%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-20.97%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$161 JMD 25.3K

-60.53%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$29.50 JMD 4,623

-56.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-61.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$59.6 JMD 9,343

-34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-51.40%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$284 JMD 44.6K

175.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

372.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$23.31 JMD 3,654

136.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$32.31 JMD 5,064

-23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

-21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$313 JMD 49.1K

56.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$219 JMD 34.3K

31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$659 JMD 103.2K

35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$607 JMD 95.1K

-14.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

-73.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

-74.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

-53.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $313 in Portmore. 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 115% higher in Portmore, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $337 – 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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portmore costs about 33% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,864 in Portmore. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $284 in Portmore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Portmore, 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 $932, than in Portmore at $1,243. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portmore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,243 in Portmore. 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, Portmore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.