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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,829 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,572 in Portmore, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Portmore 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.79 JMD 754

-58.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$62.6 JMD 9,843

-69.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.99 JMD 1,413

-13.79%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.39 JMD 691

-56.26%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.63 JMD 99.8

25.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.55 JMD 85.8

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.93 JMD 303

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.21 JMD 348

65.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$3.06 JMD 481

-46.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$3.60 JMD 566

-54.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.01 JMD 159

17.82%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.50 JMD 550

-42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.11 JMD 1,748

43.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.26 JMD 984

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.48 JMD 1,177

45.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$5.86 JMD 922

-52.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.01 JMD 473

-60.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.93 JMD 461

-44.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.96 JMD 466

-48.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.04 JMD 321

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.94 JMD 305

-38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.59 JMD 250

-55.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.24 JMD 195

-54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$8.96 JMD 1,409

-48.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.53 JMD 1,814

43.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.84 JMD 447

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.13 JMD 334

50.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.52 JMD 240

-42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$63.3 JMD 9,958

-70.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.92 JMD 145

47.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$3.19 JMD 502

-57.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.31 JMD 993

24.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.08 JMD 171

13.89%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-49.23%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

-31.86%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$155 JMD 24.4K

-54.51%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$21.91 JMD 3,446

-37.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$50.2 JMD 7,897

-65.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$13.38 JMD 2,104

-56.88%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$226 JMD 35.5K

35.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

480.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$26.22 JMD 4,123

112.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$26.01 JMD 4,090

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$317 JMD 49.9K

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$218 JMD 34.3K

9.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$663 JMD 104.2K

23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$597 JMD 93.9K

-14.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

-74.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

-74.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

-52.19%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Portmore: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $317 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 109% 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 $63.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $318 – 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 25% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,629 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $226 in Portmore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $869, than in Portmore at $1,086. 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 $869 versus $1,086 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.