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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $941 per month in Portsmouth vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Portsmouth vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,326 per month in Portsmouth vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Portsmouth is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Portsmouth and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Portsmouth 32% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.52 EC$14.91

$2.08 ฿69.2

165.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 EC$148

$19.64 ฿651

178.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 EC$18.32

$5.65 ฿188

20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.62 EC$7.07

$1.81 ฿59.9

44.75%

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

$2.24 EC$6.06

$0.71 ฿23.66

215.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.32 ฿10.48

484.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 EC$7.05

$2.24 ฿74.2

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 EC$10.14

$3.63 ฿121

3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 EC$7.67

$1.96 ฿65.0

44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 EC$5.83

$1.50 ฿49.83

44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 EC$5.41

$1.34 ฿44.32

49.25%

Eggs

$6.86 EC$18.52

$2.26 ฿75.1

203.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.63 EC$7.11

$16.26 ฿539

-83.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 EC$15.15

$2.95 ฿98.0

90.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿330

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 EC$20.07

$2.57 ฿85.3

189.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 EC$7.18

$1.06 ฿35.04

150.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 EC$11.30

$1.61 ฿53.5

160.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 EC$10.94

$1.52 ฿50.4

166.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.90

$1.27 ฿42.14

130.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.56

$1.07 ฿35.37

161.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$0.72 ฿23.89

152.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.06

$0.51 ฿16.87

266.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 EC$30.46

$17.87 ฿593

-36.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 EC$5.09

$1.69 ฿56.2

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 EC$7.09

$2.84 ฿94.1

-7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 EC$2.08

$0.93 ฿30.70

-17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 EC$10.17

$1.23 ฿40.95

206.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 EC$9.87

$0.58 ฿19.13

531.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.84

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

$21.4K ฿711.3K

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

$27.3K ฿906.7K

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

$63.7 ฿2,112

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

$40.28 EC$109

$12.85 ฿426

213.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 EC$177

$20.22 ฿671

224.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 EC$99.5

$38.74 ฿1,285

-4.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 EC$29.54

$6.74 ฿223

62.31%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿484.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 EC$151

$54.3 ฿1,801

2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.22 EC$65.4

$25.45 ฿844

-4.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.5 EC$147

$94.3 ฿3,129

-42.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 EC$181

$73.4 ฿2,436

-8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 EC$689

$490 ฿16.2K

-47.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 EC$611

$289 ฿9,596

-21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 EC$1,810

$894 ฿29.6K

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 EC$1,700

$517 ฿17.1K

21.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 EC$1,683

$602 ฿20.0K

3.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Portsmouth: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Portsmouth 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 4% higher in Portsmouth, 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 $55.0 in Portsmouth versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $240 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Portsmouth, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,412 per month in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $941 in Portsmouth and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Portsmouth, where all-in costs run around $941, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Portsmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Portsmouth costs $941 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Portsmouth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.