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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,556 per month in Pori vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,586 per month in Pori vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,615 per month in Pori vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pori costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Pori sits 16% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.96 €12.21

$1.96 ฿65.9

612.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €90.9

$18.35 ฿617

465.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 €10.09

$7.48 ฿252

54.14%

Cappuccino

$4.70 €4.11

$2.02 ฿67.8

132.67%

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

$2.52 €2.20

$0.85 ฿28.52

196.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$0.36 ฿11.97

527.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 €6.99

$2.14 ฿71.9

273.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 €7.03

$3.59 ฿121

123.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.65 ฿55.5

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 €2.37

$1.57 ฿52.7

71.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 €2.04

$1.19 ฿40.05

95.80%

Eggs

$3.46 €3.02

$1.94 ฿65.1

78.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 €8.09

$16.19 ฿545

-42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 €10.53

$2.99 ฿101

302.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.43 €19.62

$10.94 ฿368

105.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.71 ฿91.2

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.17 ฿39.27

64.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 €2.25

$1.69 ฿56.8

52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 €4.05

$1.60 ฿54.0

188.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.38 ฿46.56

-9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.20 ฿40.47

42.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 €1.77

$0.67 ฿22.51

201.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.75

$0.56 ฿18.74

257.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.81 €9.46

$4.64 ฿156

132.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 €8.16

$17.62 ฿593

-47.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.92

$1.86 ฿62.6

79.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 €3.22

$3.30 ฿111

11.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 €3.53

$0.88 ฿29.70

357.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 €61.5

$19.34 ฿651

263.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 €5.62

$1.36 ฿45.92

372.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 €1.02

$1.34 ฿45.00

-13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 €46.00

$8.21 ฿276

540.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.91

$1.22 ฿41.20

78.69%

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

$36.9K €32.3K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

72.80%

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

$33.0K €28.9K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

46.64%

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

$111 €96.7

$70.7 ฿2,378

56.39%

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

$18.59 €16.26

$14.04 ฿472

32.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.41 €21.36

$17.49 ฿589

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.75 €31.28

$42.15 ฿1,418

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 €20.32

$6.88 ฿231

237.65%

Cinema Ticket

$20.24 €17.71

$5.92 ฿199

241.89%

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

$403 €352

$309 ฿10.4K

30.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,060 €5,302

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-59.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.5

$55.8 ฿1,876

89.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 €33.69

$26.11 ฿879

47.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €89.7

$83.0 ฿2,793

23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €112

$70.5 ฿2,371

81.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 €500

$432 ฿14.5K

32.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 €385

$239 ฿8,040

84.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 €882

$822 ฿27.7K

22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 €679

$512 ฿17.2K

51.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,552 €3,108

$579 ฿19.5K

513.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.35

-53.00%

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

Last update for Pori: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $572 in Pori versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 513% higher in Pori, 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 $104 in Pori versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $243 – 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

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

Pori costs about 81% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,335 per month in Pori and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. 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 $403 per month in Pori and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Pori, 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 $861, than in Pori at $1,556. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pori it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,556 in Pori. 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, Pori makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.