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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,102 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,849 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,595 in Portmore, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Portmore 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.3

$4.80 JMD 755

-57.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$62.4 JMD 9,810

-70.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.68 JMD 1,365

-9.45%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.8

$4.41 JMD 693

-53.97%

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

$0.80 ฿26.67

$0.63 JMD 98.7

26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.50 JMD 78.9

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$1.84 JMD 289

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.25 JMD 354

63.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$3.10 JMD 487

-44.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$3.55 JMD 558

-55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.04

$1.02 JMD 160

17.65%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$3.58 JMD 563

-44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$10.86 JMD 1,707

49.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.19 JMD 973

-50.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$7.48 JMD 1,175

44.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.5

$5.91 JMD 929

-53.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.99 JMD 470

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.88 JMD 453

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$3.04 JMD 478

-47.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.56

$2.10 JMD 330

-33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.61

$1.92 JMD 302

-39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.08

$1.52 JMD 239

-56.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.33

$1.27 JMD 200

-59.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$8.66 JMD 1,361

-46.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$11.16 JMD 1,754

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$2.80 JMD 440

-36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.13 JMD 335

56.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$1.59 JMD 250

-42.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$63.4 JMD 9,968

-70.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.10

$0.93 JMD 146

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.76

$3.22 JMD 507

-58.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.43 JMD 1,011

26.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.21

$1.09 JMD 171

12.84%

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

$21.4K ฿715.9K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-49.40%

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

$21.8K ฿728.9K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-35.03%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$156 JMD 24.6K

-54.41%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$21.70 JMD 3,411

-35.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$51.4 JMD 8,082

-65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$13.24 JMD 2,081

-56.80%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$227 JMD 35.6K

36.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.3K

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

499.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,863

$25.67 JMD 4,035

117.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿870

$26.00 JMD 4,087

0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,833

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,371

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$310 JMD 48.8K

36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,098

$223 JMD 35.0K

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$661 JMD 103.9K

20.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$583 JMD 91.7K

-13.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

-74.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

-75.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

-54.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

-45.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Portmore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $310 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 121% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $317 – 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 29% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,653 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $227 in Portmore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $852, than in Portmore at $1,102. 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 $852 versus $1,102 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.