Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Porto Velho Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Porto Velho

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $761 in Porto Velho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,198 in Porto Velho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,635 in Porto Velho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Porto Velho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Porto Velho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Porto Velho 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$4.45 R$22.94

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$26.32 R$136

-29.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.87 R$30.26

33.22%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.59 R$8.22

22.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$1.15 R$5.93

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.37 R$1.89

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.77 R$9.12

20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.74 R$14.10

36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.93 R$4.79

83.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.44 R$7.44

13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.15 R$5.92

-0.87%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$2.03 R$10.48

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$8.12 R$41.83

99.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.65 R$18.81

-14.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$7.45 R$38.37

46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$2.12 R$10.92

29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.29 R$6.65

-6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.19 R$6.13

36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.50 R$7.71

6.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.15 R$5.95

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.10 R$5.67

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$0.71 R$3.64

-7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.62 R$3.19

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$2.08 R$10.73

125.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$7.17 R$36.93

160.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.23 R$6.33

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.97 R$10.15

63.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.86 R$4.42

4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$38.72 R$199

-50.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$1.11 R$5.71

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.74 R$3.82

74.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$6.50 R$33.49

20.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.12 R$5.79

13.39%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$20.4K R$105.2K

4.20%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$27.8K R$143.4K

-20.21%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$61.7 R$318

11.91%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$13.28 R$68.4

6.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$18.80 R$96.8

-4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$22.95 R$118

78.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$21.75 R$112

-68.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$6.20 R$31.93

-4.52%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$268 R$1,381

11.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$6,511 R$33.5K

129.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$49.85 R$257

9.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$41.80 R$215

-35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$75.7 R$390

12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$65.3 R$336

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$312 R$1,606

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$218 R$1,122

8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$581 R$2,991

38.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$423 R$2,180

21.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$1,812 R$9,333

8.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,151 R$5,929

28.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$414 R$2,135

49.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

-54.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Porto Velho: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $312 in Porto Velho. 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 49% 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 $26.00 in Porto Velho. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $172 in Porto Velho – so Porto Velho 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 Porto Velho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Porto Velho, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,141 in Porto Velho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Velho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $268 in Porto Velho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $761 in Porto Velho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Porto Velho costs $761 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Porto Velho. 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.