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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $763 in Porto Velho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,215 in Porto Velho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Porto Velho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Porto Velho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Porto Velho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Porto Velho 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.58 R$22.77

-57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$26.44 R$131

-30.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.80 R$28.84

29.31%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.65 R$8.20

16.97%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.14 R$5.66

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.36 R$1.80

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.76 R$8.76

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.64 R$13.14

40.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.96 R$4.76

78.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.52 R$7.54

2.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.18 R$5.85

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.95 R$9.68

1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.02 R$39.84

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$3.58 R$17.77

-11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.41 R$36.83

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.12 R$10.52

24.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.25 R$6.21

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.15 R$5.70

43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.46 R$7.26

5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.20 R$5.96

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.10 R$5.47

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.70 R$3.49

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.66 R$3.26

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.15 R$10.68

110.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.38 R$41.66

118.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.27 R$6.34

41.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.00 R$9.95

59.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.92 R$4.56

-2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$38.61 R$192

-50.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.11 R$5.49

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.76 R$3.76

72.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.47 R$32.14

25.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.09 R$5.42

17.43%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$21.0K R$104.3K

1.46%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$28.0K R$139.4K

-22.60%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$61.3 R$305

12.87%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$13.43 R$66.7

4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$19.13 R$95.1

-6.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$22.13 R$110

91.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$21.74 R$108

-69.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.41 R$31.86

-7.64%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$268 R$1,332

11.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,443 R$32.0K

130.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$49.00 R$244

14.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$41.71 R$207

-35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$77.1 R$383

10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$64.1 R$319

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$321 R$1,596

35.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$218 R$1,084

9.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$588 R$2,922

35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$425 R$2,114

17.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,918 R$9,531

4.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,018 R$5,061

50.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$419 R$2,084

49.85%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Porto Velho: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $321 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 50% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $26 in Porto Velho. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $175 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 11% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,145 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 39% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $763 in Porto Velho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Porto Velho costs $763 versus $845 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.