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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Negril vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,358 per month in Negril vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,856 per month in Negril vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Negril is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Negril and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Negril 36% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,173

$1.98 ฿65.0

276.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 JMD 7,882

$18.80 ฿619

166.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,347

$7.75 ฿255

10.45%

Cappuccino

$2.06 JMD 323

$1.92 ฿63.2

7.29%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$0.79 ฿26.07

67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.36 ฿11.74

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 389

$2.21 ฿72.9

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 487

$3.66 ฿120

-15.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.65 ฿54.4

155.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 549

$1.63 ฿53.7

114.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 248

$1.19 ฿39.28

31.93%

Eggs

$3.41 JMD 536

$2.00 ฿65.8

70.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 JMD 1,707

$15.98 ฿526

-32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 JMD 989

$3.03 ฿99.6

107.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$10.86 ฿357

-29.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 942

$2.76 ฿90.9

117.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 476

$1.18 ฿38.83

156.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 JMD 675

$1.64 ฿54.0

161.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$1.52 ฿50.0

92.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 JMD 327

$1.38 ฿45.59

50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$1.19 ฿39.25

63.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 484

$0.70 ฿23.11

338.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$0.56 ฿18.32

166.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

$4.58 ฿151

97.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 JMD 1,823

$16.56 ฿545

-30.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 439

$1.83 ฿60.2

52.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$3.20 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.36 ฿44.64

-19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 510

$1.34 ฿44.12

141.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 967

$7.84 ฿258

-21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.23 ฿40.35

4.07%

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

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

$21.6K ฿711.8K

98.36%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$22.5K ฿742.2K

51.40%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$70.5 ฿2,322

132.12%

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

$22.38 JMD 3,520

$13.68 ฿450

63.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 JMD 8,121

$17.45 ฿574

195.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 JMD 2,076

$5.77 ฿190

128.77%

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

$230 JMD 36.2K

$307 ฿10.1K

-25.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,528 JMD 397.6K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-82.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 JMD 4,156

$55.8 ฿1,837

-52.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.97 JMD 4,085

$26.21 ฿863

-0.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.1K

$85.8 ฿2,823

-17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$72.2 ฿2,378

7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 JMD 154.7K

$430 ฿14.1K

128.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

83.00%

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

Last update for Negril: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Negril versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Negril versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $241 – 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

Negril vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Negril, 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 $1,289 per month in Negril and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Negril and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Negril, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Chiang Mai at $869. In Negril it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Negril costs $859 versus $869 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 Negril. 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.