Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,563 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Port Elizabeth and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 R 183

$2.08 ฿69.2

446.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 R 709

$19.64 ฿651

124.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 R 98.3

$5.65 ฿188

8.32%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.16

$1.81 ฿59.9

17.68%

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

$1.10 R 17.69

$0.71 ฿23.66

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.91

$0.32 ฿10.48

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.69

$2.24 ฿74.2

26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 R 51.9

$3.63 ฿121

-11.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.56

$1.96 ฿65.0

-37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.47

$1.50 ฿49.83

-27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.00

$1.34 ฿44.32

11.19%

Eggs

$2.81 R 45.09

$2.26 ฿75.1

24.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 R 146

$16.26 ฿539

-44.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 R 89.4

$2.95 ฿98.0

88.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 R 138

$9.94 ฿330

-13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.44

$2.57 ฿85.3

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.62

$1.06 ฿35.04

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.95

$1.61 ฿53.5

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.44

$1.52 ฿50.4

16.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.50

$1.27 ฿42.14

39.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 22.80

$1.07 ฿35.37

32.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.32

$0.72 ฿23.89

84.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.77

$0.51 ฿16.87

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 R 54.1

$4.19 ฿139

-19.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.5

$17.87 ฿593

-72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.03

$1.69 ฿56.2

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R 29.05

$2.84 ฿94.1

-36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 R 18.99

$0.93 ฿30.70

26.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.87 R 592

$53.9 ฿1,787

-31.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 R 34.93

$1.23 ฿40.95

76.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R 7.81

$0.58 ฿19.13

-15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 R 138

$2.42 ฿80.4

253.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 R 22.68

$1.41 ฿46.84

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

$36.5K R 586.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

70.13%

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

$34.5K R 553.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

26.13%

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

$125 R 2,013

$63.7 ฿2,112

96.78%

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

$35.65 R 573

$12.85 ฿426

177.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.87 R 753

$20.22 ฿671

131.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.16 R 517

$38.74 ฿1,285

-16.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 R 386

$3.97 ฿132

505.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 R 175

$6.74 ฿223

62.02%

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

$185 R 2,974

$778 ฿25.8K

-76.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,340 R 101.8K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-56.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 R 1,158

$54.3 ฿1,801

32.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 R 614

$25.45 ฿844

50.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,841

$94.3 ฿3,129

21.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 R 1,604

$73.4 ฿2,436

35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 R 10.2K

$490 ฿16.2K

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R 6,896

$289 ฿9,596

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R 13.6K

$894 ฿29.6K

-5.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 R 11.3K

$517 ฿17.1K

36.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 R 12.8K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-59.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,755

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-63.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,641 R 26.4K

$602 ฿20.0K

172.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

5.57

114.36%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $633 in Port Elizabeth 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.

Salaries run about 173% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Port Elizabeth vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Port Elizabeth 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

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

Port Elizabeth costs about 30% 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 $1,854 per month in Port Elizabeth 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.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Port Elizabeth and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Port Elizabeth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,236. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,236 in Port Elizabeth. 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 Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.