Cost of Living Comparison Between Port-au-Prince and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port-au-Prince and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,327 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,820 per month in Port-au-Prince vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port-au-Prince costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Port-au-Prince and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Port-au-Prince 3% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 HTG 404

$1.96 ฿64.4

58.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 HTG 356

$1.50 ฿49.38

82.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 HTG 297

$1.34 ฿43.92

70.15%

Eggs

$5.49 HTG 716

$2.26 ฿74.4

142.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 HTG 819

$16.26 ฿534

-61.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 HTG 822

$2.95 ฿97.1

113.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 HTG 1,286

$9.94 ฿327

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 HTG 559

$2.57 ฿84.5

66.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 HTG 201

$1.06 ฿34.72

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 HTG 161

$1.61 ฿53.0

-23.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 HTG 312

$1.52 ฿49.96

57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$5.25 HTG 685

$1.27 ฿41.76

313.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 HTG 283

$1.07 ฿35.05

102.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 HTG 185

$0.72 ฿23.67

97.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 HTG 188

$0.51 ฿16.72

182.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.56 HTG 203

$4.19 ฿138

-62.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 HTG 1,967

$17.87 ฿587

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 HTG 215

$1.69 ฿55.7

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 HTG 300

$2.84 ฿93.2

-19.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 HTG 23.41

$0.93 ฿30.42

-80.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.22 HTG 2,636

$53.9 ฿1,770

-62.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 HTG 52.0

$1.23 ฿40.58

-67.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 HTG 50.0

$0.58 ฿18.96

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.77 HTG 2,577

$2.42 ฿79.7

716.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 HTG 150

$1.41 ฿46.42

-18.44%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

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

$50.7 HTG 6,609

$12.85 ฿423

294.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 HTG 1,308

$6.74 ฿221

48.81%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 HTG 9,705

$25.45 ฿836

192.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 HTG 119.0K

$490 ฿16.1K

86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 HTG 115.4K

$289 ฿9,510

205.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 HTG 280.6K

$894 ฿29.4K

140.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 HTG 242.1K

$517 ฿17.0K

259.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 HTG 220.1K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,493 HTG 194.6K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

1.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Port-au-Prince: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Port-au-Prince versus $490 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.

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

Port-au-Prince vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port-au-Prince costs about 40% 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 $1,990 per month in Port-au-Prince and $1,421 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,327 in Port-au-Prince and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Port-au-Prince, 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 $947, than in Port-au-Prince at $1,327. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port-au-Prince it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,327 in Port-au-Prince. 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, Port-au-Prince makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.