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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,581 per month in Port Hedland vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,760 per month in Port Hedland vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,940 per month in Port Hedland vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Hedland costs about 177% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Port Hedland sits 89% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 A$25.45

$2.08 ฿69.1

773.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 A$120

$19.61 ฿651

337.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 A$13.83

$5.67 ฿188

74.07%

Cappuccino

$4.01 A$5.62

$1.81 ฿59.9

121.55%

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

$3.16 A$4.42

$0.77 ฿25.51

310.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 A$3.54

$0.35 ฿11.46

622.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 A$11.23

$2.21 ฿73.5

262.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 A$10.71

$3.79 ฿126

101.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 A$2.63

$2.05 ฿68.0

-8.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 A$3.97

$1.51 ฿50.3

88.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 A$3.15

$1.40 ฿46.44

60.71%

Eggs

$4.86 A$6.81

$2.26 ฿75.0

115.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 A$15.17

$16.19 ฿538

-33.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 A$14.01

$2.90 ฿96.2

244.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 A$22.23

$9.42 ฿313

68.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.64

$2.68 ฿88.9

23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 A$4.95

$1.09 ฿36.18

223.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.62

$1.62 ฿53.7

103.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 A$6.31

$1.46 ฿48.48

208.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.81

$1.28 ฿42.42

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.12

$1.06 ฿35.12

110.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 A$3.44

$0.72 ฿23.81

240.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 A$2.25

$0.53 ฿17.46

203.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.56 A$62.4

$4.23 ฿140

953.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 A$17.72

$18.29 ฿607

-30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.60 A$7.85

$1.63 ฿54.1

243.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 A$8.64

$2.90 ฿96.3

112.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 A$4.18

$0.88 ฿29.16

239.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 A$137

$53.8 ฿1,785

81.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 A$5.22

$1.17 ฿38.93

218.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 A$2.59

$0.58 ฿19.20

218.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.43 A$63.6

$2.39 ฿79.2

1800.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.89

$1.45 ฿48.15

-6.90%

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

$30.9K A$43.2K

$21.0K ฿697.6K

46.89%

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

$32.2K A$45.2K

$26.4K ฿877.3K

22.04%

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

$223 A$312

$63.7 ฿2,113

249.93%

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

$30.40 A$42.57

$12.89 ฿428

135.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 A$77.6

$20.52 ฿681

169.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 A$72.1

$39.02 ฿1,295

31.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 A$22.84

$3.92 ฿130

316.07%

Cinema Ticket

$17.47 A$24.46

$6.58 ฿218

165.50%

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

$2,227 A$3,119

$784 ฿26.0K

184.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K A$25.3K

$14.7K ฿487.1K

22.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$109

$55.1 ฿1,830

41.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 A$72.7

$24.74 ฿821

109.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 A$146

$94.1 ฿3,125

10.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$74.0 ฿2,455

55.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 A$1,790

$490 ฿16.3K

160.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 A$1,672

$288 ฿9,568

314.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 A$3,190

$891 ฿29.6K

155.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 A$2,602

$521 ฿17.3K

256.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,474 A$9,066

$1,974 ฿65.5K

228.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,824 A$6,756

$1,444 ฿48.0K

234.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,287 A$7,404

$602 ฿20.0K

778.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.87

5.57

5.39%

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

Last update for Port Hedland: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Port Hedland 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 779% higher in Port Hedland, 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 $86.0 in Port Hedland versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 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

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

Port Hedland costs about 177% 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 $3,871 per month in Port Hedland and $1,398 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 $2,227 per month in Port Hedland and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Port Hedland, 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 $932, than in Port Hedland at $2,581. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Hedland it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,581 in Port Hedland. 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 Hedland makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.