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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Portoviejo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Portoviejo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,978 per month in Portoviejo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Portoviejo costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portoviejo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Portoviejo 29% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 $3.44

$1.96 ฿65.9

75.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.96 $46.96

$18.35 ฿617

155.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.48 ฿252

9.76%

Cappuccino

$2.49 $2.49

$2.02 ฿67.8

23.27%

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

$0.86 $0.86

$0.85 ฿28.52

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.36 ฿11.97

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.14 ฿71.9

43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.59 ฿121

25.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.65 ฿55.5

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.57 ฿52.7

8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.19 ฿40.05

49.58%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$1.94 ฿65.1

34.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$16.19 ฿545

-63.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.99 ฿101

71.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$10.94 ฿368

-41.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.71 ฿91.2

-21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 ฿39.27

-6.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.69 ฿56.8

-37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.60 ฿54.0

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.38 ฿46.56

35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.20 ฿40.47

15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.67 ฿22.51

4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.56 ฿18.74

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.64 ฿156

31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 $11.78

$17.62 ฿593

-33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.86 ฿62.6

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.30 ฿111

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.88 ฿29.70

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 $23.89

$19.34 ฿651

23.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.36 ฿45.92

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.34 ฿45.00

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 $9.86

$8.21 ฿276

20.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.22 ฿41.20

-44.26%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

19.31%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

28.62%

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

$37.07 $37.07

$70.7 ฿2,378

-47.54%

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

$13.60 $13.60

$14.04 ฿472

-3.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 $31.36

$17.49 ฿589

79.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.41 $30.41

$42.15 ฿1,418

-27.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.88 ฿231

109.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 $7.85

$5.92 ฿199

32.60%

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

$310 $310

$309 ฿10.4K

0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,880 $5,880

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.8 ฿1,876

-6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 $43.80

$26.11 ฿879

67.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.0 ฿2,793

23.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$70.5 ฿2,371

59.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 $346

$432 ฿14.5K

-19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 $320

$239 ฿8,040

34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$822 ฿27.7K

-23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$512 ฿17.2K

-4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,192 $1,192

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$799 $799

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-45.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 $325

$579 ฿19.5K

-43.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

87.00%

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

Last update for Portoviejo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Portoviejo versus $432 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 78% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Portoviejo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Portoviejo vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Portoviejo 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

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

Portoviejo costs about 9% 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 $1,414 per month in Portoviejo and $1,292 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 $310 per month in Portoviejo and $309 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 25% cheaper in Portoviejo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $942 in Portoviejo and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $942 in Portoviejo. 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, Portoviejo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.