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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,579 per month in Portmarnock vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,790 per month in Portmarnock vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,002 per month in Portmarnock vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Portmarnock costs about 197% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Portmarnock sits 92% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.86

$1.98 ฿64.3

1064.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.2

$18.80 ฿612

450.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 €8.87

$7.75 ฿252

32.77%

Cappuccino

$4.58 €3.94

$1.92 ฿62.5

138.54%

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

$2.45 €2.11

$0.79 ฿25.79

210.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.34

$0.36 ฿11.62

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 €6.15

$2.21 ฿72.1

223.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 €5.52

$3.66 ฿119

74.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.65 ฿53.8

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.89

$1.63 ฿53.2

34.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.19 ฿38.86

77.31%

Eggs

$4.11 €3.54

$2.00 ฿65.1

105.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 €10.05

$15.98 ฿520

-27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 €8.96

$3.03 ฿98.5

243.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 €12.18

$10.86 ฿354

30.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.49

$2.76 ฿90.0

4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.18 ฿38.42

68.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.44

$1.64 ฿53.5

72.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.94

$1.52 ฿49.51

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.38 ฿45.10

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.19 ฿38.84

19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.70 ฿22.86

97.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$0.56 ฿18.13

271.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.39 €17.57

$4.58 ฿149

345.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.92 €11.99

$16.56 ฿539

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.89

$1.83 ฿59.5

146.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.93

$3.20 ฿104

42.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.16

$0.88 ฿28.56

184.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 €85.4

$18.72 ฿610

429.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 €4.28

$1.36 ฿44.16

265.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.34 ฿43.65

3.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.16 €33.74

$7.84 ฿256

399.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.23 ฿39.92

60.98%

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

$43.3K €37.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

100.11%

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

$38.3K €33.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

69.87%

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

$283 €243

$70.5 ฿2,298

300.64%

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

$21.94 €18.90

$13.68 ฿445

60.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 €46.96

$17.45 ฿568

212.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 €45.14

$41.33 ฿1,346

26.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$13.72 €11.82

$5.77 ฿188

137.78%

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

$1,054 €908

$307 ฿10.0K

243.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,244 €7,103

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-43.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 €77.2

$55.8 ฿1,817

60.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 €33.97

$26.21 ฿854

50.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €86.7

$85.8 ฿2,793

17.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €90.8

$72.2 ฿2,353

45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 €1,270

$430 ฿14.0K

242.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 €1,086

$239 ฿7,774

427.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,384 €2,054

$817 ฿26.6K

191.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 €1,693

$511 ฿16.6K

284.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,821 €3,292

$1,983 ฿64.6K

92.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,087 €2,660

$1,484 ฿48.3K

108.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,961 €4,275

$619 ฿20.2K

701.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

-19.20%

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

Last update for Portmarnock: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Portmarnock versus $430 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 702% higher in Portmarnock, 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 Portmarnock versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 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

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

Portmarnock costs about 197% 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 $3,868 per month in Portmarnock and $1,303 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 $1,054 per month in Portmarnock and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Portmarnock, 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 $869, than in Portmarnock at $2,579. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portmarnock it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $2,579 in Portmarnock. 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, Portmarnock makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.