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 $948 per month in Negril vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,482 per month in Negril vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,016 per month in Negril vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Negril and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Negril and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Negril 31% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 JMD 1,476

$2.10 ฿69.3

347.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 JMD 7,981

$19.84 ฿656

156.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 JMD 1,403

$5.79 ฿191

54.23%

Cappuccino

$2.05 JMD 322

$1.83 ฿60.4

12.02%

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

$1.24 JMD 195

$0.78 ฿25.61

58.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 115

$0.31 ฿10.37

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 JMD 354

$2.34 ฿77.2

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 502

$3.70 ฿122

-13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.22 JMD 663

$2.03 ฿67.1

107.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 JMD 561

$1.60 ฿52.7

123.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.42 ฿46.75

14.08%

Eggs

$3.60 JMD 565

$2.18 ฿71.9

65.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 JMD 1,777

$15.91 ฿526

-28.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 972

$3.07 ฿102

101.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 JMD 1,602

$9.87 ฿326

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.22 JMD 977

$2.63 ฿86.8

136.50%

Banana (1kg)

$4.01 JMD 629

$1.10 ฿36.19

264.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.55 JMD 1,186

$1.63 ฿53.8

363.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 JMD 466

$1.53 ฿50.6

94.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 JMD 519

$1.24 ฿41.13

166.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 JMD 419

$1.13 ฿37.37

136.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 471

$0.74 ฿24.38

305.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 JMD 228

$0.50 ฿16.48

190.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 JMD 1,497

$4.28 ฿141

122.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,812

$17.97 ฿594

-35.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 447

$1.70 ฿56.1

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 JMD 626

$2.90 ฿95.7

37.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 JMD 191

$1.23 ฿40.76

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 511

$0.53 ฿17.66

513.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 JMD 970

$2.40 ฿79.3

157.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 JMD 219

$1.44 ฿47.55

-2.78%

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

$44.1K JMD 6.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

108.02%

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

$32.7K JMD 5.1M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

19.83%

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

$175 JMD 27.5K

$64.9 ฿2,145

169.66%

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

$29.72 JMD 4,669

$13.35 ฿441

122.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 JMD 8,448

$20.83 ฿688

158.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 JMD 2,114

$6.71 ฿222

100.60%

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

$367 JMD 57.6K

$787 ฿26.0K

-53.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,347 JMD 1.3M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.68 JMD 3,719

$56.2 ฿1,858

-57.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 JMD 4,914

$24.95 ฿824

25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.0K

$75.1 ฿2,482

35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 JMD 158.7K

$484 ฿16.0K

108.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

5.57

69.66%

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

Last update for Negril: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,010 in Negril versus $484 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 $51.0 in Negril versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $242 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,422 per month in Negril and $1,426 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 59% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Negril and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Negril, where all-in costs run around $948, than in Chiang Mai at $950. 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 $948 versus $950 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.