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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,047 per month in Port Shepstone vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,638 per month in Port Shepstone vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,228 per month in Port Shepstone vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Port Shepstone costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Port Shepstone and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Port Shepstone 24% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 132

$2.08 ฿68.6

295.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.09 R 641

$19.64 ฿646

104.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 R 93.7

$5.65 ฿186

3.72%

Cappuccino

$2.79 R 44.60

$1.81 ฿59.4

54.14%

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

$1.14 R 18.28

$0.71 ฿23.45

60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.19

$0.32 ฿10.38

178.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 R 40.22

$2.24 ฿73.6

12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 R 44.75

$3.63 ฿119

-22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R 15.31

$1.96 ฿64.4

-51.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 R 10.92

$1.50 ฿49.39

-54.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.55

$1.34 ฿43.93

-8.96%

Eggs

$1.47 R 23.46

$2.26 ฿74.5

-34.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 R 118

$16.26 ฿535

-54.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 R 58.4

$2.95 ฿97.1

23.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 R 120

$9.94 ฿327

-24.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 R 19.65

$2.57 ฿84.6

-52.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 R 12.37

$1.06 ฿34.73

-27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 R 9.70

$1.61 ฿53.0

-62.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.51

$1.52 ฿49.97

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 R 9.68

$1.27 ฿41.77

-51.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 23.79

$1.07 ฿35.06

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 15.65

$0.72 ฿23.68

36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R 9.59

$0.51 ฿16.72

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$4.19 ฿138

-11.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R 78.2

$17.87 ฿587

-72.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.12

$1.69 ฿55.7

-10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 32.05

$2.84 ฿93.3

-29.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 R 25.21

$0.93 ฿30.43

69.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.23

$1.23 ฿40.59

-63.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 R 12.41

$0.58 ฿18.96

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 R 127

$2.42 ฿79.7

228.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 R 22.12

$1.41 ฿46.43

-2.13%

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

$37.5K R 599.1K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

74.70%

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

$33.3K R 531.9K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

21.67%

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

$123 R 1,966

$63.7 ฿2,093

93.09%

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

$18.90 R 302

$12.85 ฿423

47.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 606

$20.22 ฿665

87.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.56 R 537

$38.74 ฿1,274

-13.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 110

$6.74 ฿222

2.08%

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

$342 R 5,467

$778 ฿25.6K

-56.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,371 R 117.9K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-49.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 R 849

$54.3 ฿1,785

-2.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.29 R 532

$25.45 ฿837

30.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,636

$94.3 ฿3,102

8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 R 1,462

$73.4 ฿2,415

24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,382

$490 ฿16.1K

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 R 6,136

$289 ฿9,512

32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 R 12.0K

$894 ฿29.4K

-16.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 R 12.2K

$517 ฿17.0K

47.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$883 R 14.1K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-54.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 R 10.5K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-55.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,063 R 49.0K

$602 ฿19.8K

408.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

5.57

109.34%

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

Last update for Port Shepstone: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Port Shepstone 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 409% higher in Port Shepstone, 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 $40.00 in Port Shepstone versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Port Shepstone vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Port Shepstone 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 Shepstone vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Shepstone costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,571 per month in Port Shepstone 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Port Shepstone and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 62% cheaper in Port Shepstone – 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 Shepstone at $1,047. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Shepstone it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,047 in Port Shepstone. 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 Shepstone makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.